Question

I saw that true strain is a sum of strains over many increments. Why would this be more accurate than using engineering strain? Engineering Strain assumes the initial length to be constant which makes sense to me because strain is just a measure of deformation. What is wrong with the idea of assuming initial length to be constant?

Answer 1

True strain, also known as engineering strain, takes into account the cumulative effect of strain over many increments, making it a more accurate measure compared to engineering strain.

Step-by-step explanation:

True strain is considered more accurate than engineering strain in certain situations because it accounts for the continuous changes in length that occur during plastic deformation. While engineering strain assumes a constant initial length throughout deformation, true strain takes into consideration the instantaneous and evolving length of the material at each increment of deformation. In materials undergoing significant plastic deformation, the assumption of constant initial length can lead to inaccuracies, especially as the material undergoes large deformations or necking. True strain provides a more precise representation of the deformation process and is particularly useful in analyzing materials under extreme conditions or in processes involving substantial plasticity.