Ductile tearing energy of sheet metals determined by the multiple tensile testing (MTT) method

Tearing energy of aluminium, copper and brass sheets, having different mechanical characteristics, has been studied by the multiple tensile testing (MTT) method. In this method, different test pieces of various gage lengths were employed. The total energy required to tear the specimens was assumed to be composed of two components; one associated with uniform plastic deformation, which occurs in the work-hardening range of the material, and the other with post-uniform deformation and tearing which leads to the failure of the specimens. Tearing energy was calculated by plotting the total energy divided by the specimen cross-sectional area against the gage length of the specimens. In this plot, a straight line is obtained, the intercept of which gives the value of tearing energy. The results have been analyzed on the basis of the mechanical characteristics of the materials.