Compressive strain is a critical concept in the study of material mechanics and structural engineering. It refers to the deformation of a material under compressive (squeezing) loads. This article explores compressive strain in detail, including its definition, relationship with compressive stress, testing methods, and practical applications.
Compressive strain (ε) is defined as the ratio of the reduction in length (ΔL) of a material to its original length (L):
ε = - ΔL / L
The negative sign indicates a decrease in length. Like tensile strain, compressive strain is dimensionless and is typically expressed as a fraction or percentage.
Compressive strain is directly related to compressive stress through Hooke's Law in the elastic region of the material:
σ = E · ε
For compressive stress, the material shortens instead of elongating, but the relationship between stress and strain remains linear within the elastic region.
Compressive strain is measured experimentally through compression tests. The steps are:
The stress-strain curve for compression tests typically shows an elastic region followed by a plateau, depending on the material. For brittle materials like concrete, the curve drops sharply after reaching the ultimate compressive strength.
Compressive strain is crucial for understanding how materials behave under compressive loads. Its analysis ensures the safe and efficient design of load-bearing structures and components in engineering.
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