INTRODUCTION
Tensile testing is an important and standard method of measuring material properties for subsequent use in the design and analysis process. One key material property that is often determined using tensile testing is the elastic (Young’s) modulus, which is a fundamental material characteristic describing elastic stiffness. It can be measured from the slope of the initial linear region of the stress-strain curve (see the generic curve in Figure 1.1). For stiff materials in particular, valid, and accurate characterization of the elastic modulus requires measurement of low strain levels with high accuracy and precision. Therefore, the strain measurement method needs to be chosen and implemented carefully to get reliable results.
This paper presents the basic setup and use of a number of different strain measurement methods to experimentally determine the elastic modulus of a common 3D-printing plastic material and discusses benefits and drawbacks of each method.