Technological University of the Philippines

Ayala Boulevard, Ermita, Manila

College of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering



CE 49L 4A
Construction Materials and Testing, Lab.






Experiment No. 1

Tensile Strength of Reinforcement Steel Bar







Fesalbon, Mayson R.
10-205-041


Date of Submission: August 1, 2013






Engr. Reynaldo O. Baarde
Instructor

EXPERIMENT NO.1
TENSILE STRENGTH OF REINFORCEMENT STEEL BAR



I. OBJECTIVE
To determine the tensile strength of reinforcement steel bar.

II. DATA AND COMPUTATIONS

A. Cross Section Area Computation of the Reinforced Steel Bar:

Diameter Designation Diameter (cm)
1 1.11
2 1.18
3 1.10
Mean Diameter: 1.13

=
1.11 + 1.18 + 1.10
3

= 1.13 (11.30 )



Weight: 846.70 grams / 0.8467kilogram
Total length: 100 cm (having a 20 cm mark in the middle for the experiment)


B. Force Applied by the Universal Testing Machine (UTM):
Force Applied (kgf) Force Applied (N)
Elongation Point 3 740.00 36 689.40
Breaking Point 5 300.00 51 993.00


Elongation point = 3740

9.81

2
= .

Breaking point = 5300

9.81

2
= .



Length in the middle after the experiment:
L1 = 11.80 cm
L2 = 15.20 cm

Elongation =

= (11.8 + 15.20) 20 =

Percent Yield =

100% =
7
100
100% = %

Stress = P / A

Elongation Point

=
36 689.40

4
(11.30)
2
= .

Breaking Point

=
51 993.00

4
(11.30)
2
= .



III. DISCUSSION AND OBSERVATION

A. Discussion

By theory, reinforcement steel bars are used in the design of tension structures because of its
high tensile strength. In this experiment, the tensile strength of a reinforcement steel bar is
determined as the maximum stress at two different points: elongation point and breaking
point. A machine called Universal Testing Machine (UTM) was used to perform the
experiment.

Reinforcement Steel Bar. In this experiment, a 12-mm diameter steel bar with a length of one
meter was used as a sample. Markings was placed at 40-cm, 50-cm and 60-cm mark with the
use of chalk or a chipping tool. The 40-cm and 60-cm marks were necessary for the
placement of grips in the UTM while the 50-cm mark was the assumed breaking point of the
steel bar. The mass of the sample steel bar was also determined by the use of a weighing
scale readable up to 0.1g.

Universal Testing Machine (UTM). In this experiment, the UTM was used as a tension load
that acts on the cross-sectional area of the steel bar. After grips was placed and locked at its
respective markings, loads were then applied. For a given sample steel bar, a 20 kgf was
used. Two needles (one black, one red) will simultaneously move in clockwise direction. The
needles will point to the corresponding force (in kg.) at any given time which represents the
applied tensile force that the UTM acts on the steel bar. Since 20 kgf was used, every division
in the graduation of UTMs gage is equal to 20kg.

Elongation Point. As said in the discussion of UTM, the needle will continue to move in
clockwise direction as the tensile force applied on the steel bar increases until such time that
the needles will stop to move and point a specific tensile force reading. This tensile force
reading is the elongation point of the sample steel bar. Elongation point in the force (in kg) in
which the length of the sample steel bar will begin to elongate. After this point, the needles
will again continue to move. Note that the elongation point in the UTM is the first tensile force
reading when the needles first stop. After the elongation point, the needles will continue to
move but also experience another stop/s. When this stops occurred, there are two options to
choose from. It is either wait until the needles move again or increase the load by rotating the
rotary in clockwise direction.

Breaking Point. The breaking point is the tensile force reading of the red-colored needle
where the black-colored needle moves back in counter-clockwise direction to 0-force reading.
When the black-colored needle is in 0-force reading, the sample steel bar breaks. Breaking
point is also the actual rupture point in a stress-strain diagram.


B. Observations

During the experiment, the following was observed:

1. The whole testing process in the Universal Testing Machine (UTM) takes a very long
time.
2. Before the steel bar reaches its breaking point, the middle part of the exposed length
of steel bar (20cm) narrows.
3. The point at which the steel bar breaks forms a convex parabolic section at one end
and a concave section at the other end.
4. There is an increase in length of the steel bar after the test has been conducted.
5. When the steel bar breaks, the two halves are still in the grips of the UTM.


IV. CONCLUSION

The tensile strength of the reinforcement steel bar is determined as the maximum load capacity
withstand per unit area at two points: elongation point and breaking point. This tensile strength is
also known as the axial stress. Axial stress can be expressed as:

=

Where: = Axial Stress (Mpa)
P = Axial force (N)
A = Area (mm
2
)