DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY TENAGA NASIONAL

Mechanics and Materials Lab Manual

MEMD221

Semester 1 2017/18

Title of Experiment :

Name :

Student ID (SID) :

Section :

Group No :

Name and SID of Group Members : 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Experiment Date: Submission Date: Receive Date:

(Leave it blank)
PURPOSE
The purpose of this lab test is to investigate the effects of end conditons , coloumn
length, and material properties on compressive behaviour and buckling in columns.

INTRODUCTION
With the WP 120 test stand, various buckling problems can be demonstrated.
Buckling, as opposed to simple strength problems such as drawing, pressure,
bending and shearing, is primarily a stability problem. Buckling is important to
nowadays industry because it is used in almost every field of technology. For
example, columns and supports in construction and steel engineering, stop rod
forvalve actuation and connecting rods in motor construction, piston rods hydraulic
cylinder and lifting spindles in lifting gear.

OBJECTIVE
The objectives for this experiment are to determine critical buckling loads for
columns with support. Furthermore, to examination the Euler theory of buckling.
Finally, to investigate the influence of different material parameter.
DATA AND OBSERVATION

Deflection (mm) Force (N)

Copper Aluminium Brass Fieberline
100 625 300 650 770
200 850 500 850 750
300 1015 600 950 750
400 1100 650 1000 800
500 1160 690 1050 750
600 1200 710 1075 760

OBSERVATION FROM THE DATA

From the data, the value of deflection of every materials is set to the same which is
100, 200, 300, 400 , 500, and 600. The force applied for copper to achieve the
highest level of deflection is 1200 N, which is the highest among the other. Besides
, the force applied for Aluminium to achieve the highest value of deflection is
710N, which is the lowest among the others.
ANALYSIS & RESULTS
Material: Copper

Copper
1400

1200

1000
Force (N)

800

600

400

200

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Deflection (mm)

Material: Aluminium

Aluminium
800
700
600
500
Force (N)

400
300
200
100
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Deflection (mm)
Material: Brass

Brass
1200

1000

800
Force (N)

600

400

200

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Deflection (mm)

Material: Fiberline

Fiberline
810

800

790
Force (N)

780

770

760

750

740
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Deflection (mm)

=The maximum experimental critical force is copper

Geometric Moment of inertia, 𝐼𝑦 :

bh 3
Iy 
12
Copper, Aluminium and Brass:

25 x6 3
Iy   450𝒎𝒎𝟒
12
Fieberline:

20 x10 3
Iy   1666.67𝒎𝒎𝟒
12

Slenderness ratio,  :
lk

i
i = inertia radius, 𝑙𝑘 = length of material

ly
i
A
Copper, Aluminium and Brass:

450
i = 1.73𝑚𝑚2
150
600
 = 346.82
1.73
Fieberline:

1666.67
i = 2.89𝑚𝑚2
200
600
 = 207.61
2.89
Modulus of elasticity theorethical, E :
Force critical theoretical :

EA
Fcrit   2
2
Copper:
(125𝑥103 )𝑥(150)
Fcrit = π2 ( 𝟑𝟒𝟔.𝟖𝟐2
) = 1538.47N

Aluminium:
(70𝑥103 )𝑥(150)
Fcrit = π2 ( 𝟑𝟒𝟔.𝟖𝟐2
) = 861.55N

Brass:
(104𝑥103 )𝑥(150)
Fcrit = π2 ( 𝟑𝟒𝟔.𝟖𝟐2
) = 1280N

Fieberline:
(40𝑥103 )𝑥(200)
Fcrit = π2 ( 𝟐𝟎𝟕.𝟔𝟏2
) = 1831.86N

Calculation of percentage error:

𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
x 100%
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

Copper:
(1538.47)−(1200)
x 100% = 22%
1538.47

Aluminium:
(861.55)−(710)
861.55
x 100% = 18%

Brass:
(1280)−(1075)
1280
x 100% = 16%

Fieberline:
(1831.86)−(760)
1831.86
x 100% = 59%
DISCUSSION
Discussion on results obtained:
- The critical force for copper is the highest among the others.

What are the different between one material and another?

- Copper is often used because of its excellent electrical and thermal
conductivity, good strength, good formability and resistance to corrosion.
Whereby Brass is commonly used for decorative purposes primarily because
of its resemblance to gold. Furthermore, it is also a commonly used to make
musical instruments due to its high workability and durability.

Identify one engineering example where buckling is highly concerned:

- Buckling is very concerned in structural engineering design. For example,
conventional vehicle wheel consists of rim that kept under high compressive
stress. It can be considered as a loaded that has been bent into a circle. If
spoke tension is increased beyond a safe level, the wheel purely will turn
into elastic deformation (like a three-dimensional Euler column).
Error analysis:
- Systemic error:
This error is usually caused by the apparatus that was not calibrated
properly. Thus, readings
obtained will deviate from the theoretical values.

- Human error:
This kind of error is usually caused by the students who lack of skills to
operate the torsion
apparatus as well as the dial gauge. Besides that, errors also might occur due
to student
miscalculation of the values as well as the uncertainty of analysis method.

- Parallax error while taking readings.

- Variation that might occur in materials properties

CONCLUSIONS
The results of an experimental and theoretical study of the buckling using
different type of material have been discussed. What we learnt from the Euler
theory of bukling is the higher the deflection of the materials, the higher the force
for the materials to break and achieve the critical force. Every material have
different critical force and also different aspect according to their parameter, if the
parameter is high, the critical buckling is also high.

REFERENCE

 Selected encyclopedias for test:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckling
 Semester 2 2017/2018, MEMD 221 Material Labaratory Manual.COE, Uniten. Pp 25-36