Total elongation as measured in tensile tests on strong steels is adopted in product specifications and development goals, and sometimes assumed to relate to formability. The quantity, however, is measured in a variety of ways in the reported literature and is often used to make unjustified comparisons. Using purposely generated experimental data, the effect of specimen geometry on the measured total elongation is critically assessed.
SpeerJG, MatlockDK, De CoomanBC and SchrothJG: ‘Carbon partitioning into austenite after martensite transformation’, Acta Mater., 2003, 51, 2611–2622.
2.
SugimotoK, YuB, MukaiY and IkedaS: ‘Microstructure and formability of aluminum bearing TRIP-aided steels with annealed martensite matrix’, ISIJ Int., 2005, 45, 1194–1200.
3.
SugimotoK, NakanoK, SongS and KashimaT: ‘Retained austenite characteristics and stretch flangeability of high strength low alloy TRIP type bainitic steel’, ISIJ Int., 2002, 42, 450–455.
4.
MukaiY,‘The development of new high-strength steel sheets for automobiles’,Kobelco Technol. Rev., 2005, 26, 26–33.
5.
YiHL, LeeKY and BhadeshiaHKDH: ‘Extraordinary ductility in Al–bearing delta–TRIP Steel’, Proc. R. Soc. London A, 2011, 467A, 234–243.
6.
LollaT, ColaG, NarayananB, AlexandrovB and BabuSS: ‘Development of rapid heating and cooling (flash processing) process to produce advanced high strength steel microstructures’, Mater. Sci. Technol., 2011, 27, 863–875
7.
TaylorT, FourlarisG, EvansP and BrightG: ‘New generation ultrahigh strength boron steel for automotive hot stamping technologies’, Mater. Sci. Technol., 2014, 30, 818–826.
8.
De MoorE, GibbsPJ, SpeerJG, MatlockDK and SchrothJG: ‘Strategies for third generation advanced high strength steel development’, AIST Trans. Iron Steel Technol., 2010, 7, 133–144.
9.
HanlonDN, CelottoS and van BohemenSMC: ‘Comment on “Development of rapid heating and cooling (flash processing) process to produce advanced high strength steel microstructures” by Lolla et al.’, Mater. Sci. Technol., 2012, 28, 124–126.
10.
RolandT, RetraintD, LuK and LuJ: ‘Enhanced mechanical behavior of a nanocrystallised stainless steel and its thermal stability’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2007, A445, 281–288.
11.
DieterGE: ‘Mechanical metallurgy’, SI metric edition, ISBN 0-07-100406-8; 1988, New York, McGraw-Hill.
12.
LovedayMS, GrayT and AegerterJ: ‘TENSTAND final report, tensile testing of metallic materials: a review’, 171–177; 2005, Teddington, National Physical Laboratory.
13.
ISO 2566/1: ‘Steel - conversion of elongation values - part 1: carbon and low alloy steels’, The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Geneve, Switzerland, 1984.
14.
ASTM E8/8M 09: ‘Standard test methods for tension testing of metallic materials’; 2009, Philadelphia, PA, ASTM.
15.
OliverDA: ‘Proposed new criteria of ductility from a new law connecting the percentage elongation with size of test-piece’, Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., 1928, 2, 827–864.
16.
ISO 6892-1: ‘Metallic materials - tensile testing - part 1: method of testing at ambient temperature’, The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Geneve, Switzerland, 2009.
17.
SonneHM, RobillerG and AkoplatH: ‘Umrechnung Bruchdehungswerten fur proben aus dunnem blechen’, Stahl und Eisen, 1983, 103, 331–336.
18.
SunX, SoulamiA, ChoiKS, GuzmanO and ChenW: ‘Effects of sample geometry and loading rate on tensile ductility of TRIP800 steel’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2012, A541, 1–7.
19.
HuhH, KimS, SongJ and LimJ: ‘Dynamic tensile characteristics of TRIP-type and DP-type steel sheets for an auto-body’, Int. J. Mech. Sci., 2008, 50, 918–931.
