Materials science: Alloys with long memories

Fatigue occurs when materials rupture under repeated or fluctuating loads, even at stress levels far below their static breaking strength. It typically results in brittle failure, even for ductile materials. It is a critical consideration in designing machines and structural components subjected to repetitive or varying loads. The nature of these loadings can range from fluctuating loads like unbalanced pump impellers causing vibrations to repeatedly bending a thin steel rod wire back and forth...

Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...

The mechanical characteristics of steel are assessed through various tests that evaluate its strength, toughness, and flexibility. These tests include tension, torsion, impact, bending, and hardness assessments, each providing crucial information about steel's suitability for specific applications.
The tension test is fundamental for determining tensile strength. In this test, a steel specimen is stretched using a gripping device until it breaks. The data collected during this test are used to...

Residual stresses reside in a structure even after removing the original stress inducer. This phenomenon often arises from varied plastic deformations across different parts of a structure. Consider a rod stretched beyond its yield point. It will not regain its original length due to permanent deformation. Even after load removal, the rod does not entirely lose stress because of uneven plastic deformations, resulting in residual stresses. The computation of these stresses in structures is...

Plasticity is the property where an object loses its elasticity and undergoes irreversible deformation, even after the deformation forces are eliminated. If a material deforms irreversibly without increasing stress or load, then this is called ideal plasticity. For example, when a force is applied to an aluminum rod, it changes its shape, but it does not return to its original shape once the force is removed. Plastic deformation or ductility is thus a permanent deformation or change in the...

The stress-strain relationship in ductile materials such as structural steel or aluminium is intricate and progresses through several stages. When a specimen is loaded, it initially exhibits a linear length increase, depicted by a steep straight line on the stress-strain diagram. It indicates the material is elastically deforming and will return to its original shape once unloaded. However, when a critical stress value is reached, plastic deformation begins. This stage sees substantial...