The Effect of Strain Rate Upon the Bending Behavior of Materials

Abstract

The maximum loads sustainable in both four-point bending and prebent hinge collapse tests of several materials have been determined at crosshead rates from 4.2 × 10−3 mm/s to 4.2 m/s (10−2–104 in./min). All the materials exhibit a logarithmic dependence of flow stress on crosshead rate; this dependence is consistent with that previously reported for tensile deformation. Although there are some minor differences in the dynamic stress factors obtained by the bending and tensile methods, all the methods rank the materials in the same order. Thus, for materials evaluation the most convenient test method, which is usually the tensile test, can be chosen. For more complex loading geometries than considered here, scale model testing would yield the most reliable results.