Ductility

Definition of ductility

Ductility can be quantified by the fracture strain, which is the tensile test. Another commonly used measure is the reduction of area at fracture.^[1]

Scientific fields

Geology

In Earth science, the brittle-ductile transition zone is a zone at an approximate depth of 10 km in the Earth, at which ice this zone is at approximately 30 metres depth. It is not impossible for material above a brittle-ductile transition zone to deform ductilely, nor for material below to deform brittly. The zone exists because as depth increases, confining pressure increases, and brittle strength increases with confining pressure whilst ductile strength decreases with increasing temperature. The transition zone occurs at the point where brittle strength exceeds ductile strength.

Materials science

In Glass transition temperature for a related discussion.

In some materials this transition is sharper than others. For example, the transition is generally sharper in materials with a body-centered cubic (BCC) lattice than those with a lattice defects and a corresponding decrease in ductility and increase in DBTT.

Notes on Ductility

1. ^ G. Dieter, Mechanical Metallurgy, McGraw-Hill, 1986
2. ^ John, Vernon. Introduction to Engineering Materials, 3rd ed.(?) New York: Industrial Press, 1992. ISBN 0831130431.