WHAT IS A TENSILE TEST?

A tensile test is a method used in a number of fields such as material engineering and mechanical engineering etc. This test is used to determine the tensile strength and mechanical properties of a material. Tensile tests are conducted in order to evaluate the strength, elasticity and plasticity of a material.

During a tensile test, the sample is placed in a test machine, which starts to slowly pull it. The force of the pulling increases gradually and the material is stretched (elongates). In the meantime, the length of the sample, the tensile force and the change in length are measured. These data are used to determine the tensile strength, elastic behaviour, break point and other mechanical properties of the material.