Use of FEM analysis for the study of the mechanics of some important technological test methods will be treated in this chapter. Detailed knowledge of the deforming conditions in such tests is crucial when they are to be used to collect precise material data, such as, for example, flow stress data for a particular alloy.

Tensile testing of round specimens is first considered. FEA predicts nonuniform deformation across the thinnest neck in the specimen, and experimental grid pattern analysis confirms this; the largest deformation occurs at the center of the neck. Thus, in reality one assumption in Bridgman's correction analysis fails. Because of this, for metals exhibiting strain hardening, it can be shown that in tensile testing it is appropriate to perform a larger correction of the flow stress than that proposed by Bridgman.

Cylinder compression testing is then subjected to an in-depth analysis. First, it is shown how experimental grid pattern analysis, supported by inverse FEM modeling, can be used for finding an approximate friction value in the compression test. Thereafter, FEA is used to map internal deformations inside cylinders being compressed with friction, so that overfolding of the side of the cylinder occurs.

After this, the friction effects on the compression load are investigated using FEA. It is shown that friction effects are reduced as the cylinder height is increased.