Mechanical Engineering - Strength of Materials - Discussion

Axial compression testing is also useful for measurement of elastic and compressive fracture properties of brittle materials or low-ductility materials.

For ductile material there is compressive test.

In the tensile test, the ductile material is used.

In compressive test brittle, material is used for finding the values.

Because brittle material is stronger in comparison than tension.

Eg, mild steel is a ductile material and cast iron is a brittle material but when applying a tensile force on a ductile material it does not fracture suddenly in contrast in a brittle material.

Compression test is not usually done for ductile material because the values for both tensile and compression are almost same. But for Brittle materials, the strength in compression is far better than compared to the tensile unlike ductile material. Even strength in compression is better than ductile material as that have rigid bonding and do not undergo shape change while ductile material under go shape change easily. Hence ductile material is not usually used in applications for compressive loads E.g machine beds.

Thanks @Sweta.