Definition of Stress: - The force per unit area on a body that tends to cause it to deform

is called Stress. It is a measure of the internal forces in a body between particles of the
material of which it consists as they resist separation, compression, or sliding in response
to externally applied forces.
Stress (σ) can be equated to the load per unit area or the force (F) applied per cross-
sectional area (A) perpendicular to the force
Stress (σ) = F/A
where:
σ = stress (psi or lbs of force per in.2)
F = applied force (lbs of force per in.2)
A = cross-sectional area (in.2)

Definition of Strain: - A measure of the extent to which a body is deformed when it is

subjected to a stress. When a metal is subjected to a load (force), it is distorted or
deformed, no matter how strong the metal or light the load. If the load is small, the
distortion will probably disappear when the load is removed. The intensity, or degree, of
distortion is known as strain. If the distortion disappears and the metal returns to its
original dimensions upon removal of the load, the strain is called elastic strain. If the
distortion disappears and the metal remains distorted, the strain type is called plastic
strain.
Strain (Є)is measured as the total elongation per unit length of material due to some
applied stress.
Strain (Є) = δ/L
where:
Є=  strain (in./in.)
δ = total elongation (in.)
L = original length (in.)

Stress-Strain curve of Ductile Material

Hooke's Law applies between Points 1 and 2.

Hooke's Law becomes questionable between Points 2 and 3 and strain increases more
rapidly.
The area between Points 1 and 2 is called the elastic region. If stress is removed, the
material will return to its original length.
Point 2 is the proportional limit (PL) or elastic limit, and Point 3 is the yield strength
(YS) or yield point.
The area between Points 2 and 5 is known as
the plastic region because the material will not
return to its original length.
Point 4 is the point of ultimate strength and
Point 5 is the fracture point at which failure of
the material occurs.

A sessile dislocation is one for which the burgers vector is not in the direction of slip –
so it won’t move when a force is applied.
Glissile dislocations will move under the application of a force – their burgers vector is
in the direction of slip. Sessile dislocations can form by multiple vacancies moving to the
same area to produce a dislocation.

Viscoelasticity, also known as anelasticity, describes materials that exhibit both viscous
and elastic characteristics when undergoing plastic deformation. Viscous materials, like
honey, resist shear flow and strain linearly with time when a stress is applied. Elastic
materials strain instantaneously when stretched and just as quickly return to their original
state once the stress is removed. Viscoelastic materials have elements of both of these
properties and, as such, exhibit time dependent strain. Whereas elasticity is usually the
result of bond stretching along crystallographic planes in an ordered solid, viscoelasticity
is the result of the diffusion of atoms or molecules inside of an amorphous material. The
tendency of plastics to respond to stress as if they were a combination of elastic solids
and viscous fluids. This property, possessed by all plastics to some degree, dictates that
while plastics have solid-like characteristics such as elasticity, strength and form stability,
they also have liquid-like characteristics such as flow depending on time, temperature,
rate and amount of loading.
They found that some materials fit in more than one of these phases. For instance, honey
is a good example of a material with the physical properties of both a solid and a liquid.
If one allows honey to flow from a container and then quickly tips the container up, a
portion of the honey will be pulled back into the container. Liquids don’t typically
respond to tensile force or pulling force. Scientists defined this material as viscoelastic
because it exhibited the characteristics of a viscous liquid and an elastomeric solid. Silly
putty, chewing gum, and polyurethane memory foam are also examples of viscoelastic
materials.
Almost all polymers exhibit viscoelastic behavior. Polymers (and other viscoelastic
materials) behave more like solids at low temperatures and fast deformation speeds. They
are more like liquids at high temperatures and slow deformation speeds.

Stress relaxation describes how polymers relieve stress under constant strain.
Elastomers are viscoelastic in nature. When deformed, energy storage is always
accompanied by some energy dissipation. The entanglements of the long elastomer
chains act as obstructions to the movement of the polymer chains. These obstructions
enable the elastomer to store energy—an elastic property. The rearrangements of the
polymer chains are dependent on the specific chemical structure, time, temperature and
deformation rate. Since elastomers are viscoelastic, the stored energy decreases over
time. This decrease of the stored energy (seen as contact sealing force) over time is
known as stress relaxation. In other words, stress relaxation is the change in stress with
time when the elastomer is held under constant strain

Stress relaxation calculations can differ for different materials:

Grain size is normally quantified by a numbering system. Coarse 1-5 and fine 5-8. The
number is derived from the formula N=2n-1 where n is the number of grains per square
inch at a magnification of 100 diameters. Grain size has an important effect on physical
properties. For service at ordinary temperatures it is generally considered that fine
grained steels give a bettercombination of strength and toughness, whereas coarse grained
steels have better machinability.
Yield Strength: - Yield strength is defined as the stress at which a material begins to
plastically deform. Prior to the yield point the material will deform elastically and will
return to its original shape when the applied stress is removed. Once the yield point is
passed some fraction of the deformation will be permanent and non-reversible.