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Define toughness in brief

Short answer

Toughness is the ability to absorb energy and deform plastically before fracturing, represented by the total area under the stress-strain curve. Mild steel is tough and resists shock; brittle glass and cast iron have low toughness, tested by Charpy and Izod tests.

Define toughness as a property of materials.

Toughness is the ability of a material to absorb energy and deform plastically before it fractures. It is the total area under the stress-strain curve up to fracture (modulus of toughness), measured in N/mm2\text{N/mm}^2 or J/m3^3.

A tough material (mild steel) resists shock and impact loads, whereas a brittle material (glass, cast iron) has low toughness even if it is strong. Toughness is tested by Charpy and Izod impact tests.

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