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Longitudinal Strain Formula:
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Longitudinal strain is a measure of deformation representing the displacement between particles in a material body relative to a reference length. It quantifies how much a material stretches or compresses along its length when subjected to external forces.
The calculator uses the longitudinal strain formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the ratio of length change to the original length, providing a dimensionless measure of deformation.
Details: Calculating longitudinal strain is essential in material science and engineering for assessing material behavior under stress, predicting failure points, and designing structures that can withstand expected loads.
Tips: Enter both change in length and original length in meters. Both values must be positive numbers, with original length greater than zero.
Q1: What units should I use for the inputs?
A: While the calculator uses meters, you can use any consistent unit system as long as both length values use the same units (the result is dimensionless).
Q2: Can strain be negative?
A: Yes, negative strain indicates compression (shortening), while positive strain indicates tension (elongation).
Q3: What is a typical strain value for materials?
A: Strain values vary greatly by material. Metals typically have strains around 0.001-0.01 before yielding, while rubber can have strains exceeding 1.0.
Q4: How does longitudinal strain relate to stress?
A: For many materials in the elastic region, stress is proportional to strain through Young's modulus (σ = Eε).
Q5: Are there limitations to this calculation?
A: This calculation assumes uniform deformation and small strains. For large deformations or non-uniform materials, more complex strain measures may be needed.