Introduction

This book is concerned with the mechanical behavior of materials. The term mechanical behavior refers to the response of materials to forces. Under load, a material may either deform or break. The factors that govern a material's resistance to deformation are very different from those governing its resistance to fracture. The word strength may refer either to the stress required to deform a material or to the stress required to cause fracture; therefore, care must be used with the term strength.

When a material deforms under small stresses, the deformation may be elastic. In this case, when the stress is removed, the material will revert to its original shape. Most of the elastic deformation will recover immediately. There may be, however, some time-dependent shape recovery. This time-dependent elastic behavior is called anelastic or viscoelastic.

Larger stresses may cause plastic deformation. After a material undergoes plastic deformation, it will not revert to its original shape when the stress is removed. Usually, high resistance to deformation is desirable, so that a part will maintain its shape in service when stressed. On the other hand, it is desirable to have materials deform easily when they are being formed by rolling, extrusion, or other methods. Plastic deformation usually occurs as soon as the stress is applied. At high temperatures, however, time-dependent plastic deformation called creep may occur.

Fracture is the breaking of a material into two or more pieces. If fracture occurs before much plastic deformation occurs, we say that the material is brittle.