What is Modulus of Resilience and Why Should You Care?
Modulus of resilience measures a material's ability to absorb energy without creating permanent deformation. It's essentially the material's capacity to "bounce back" after being stressed.
This property is critical in engineering applications where materials undergo consistent forces, such as automotive, aerospace, and civil engineering.
How to Calculate Modulus of Resilience
The formula for modulus of resilience is:
[\text{Modulus of Resilience} = \text{Total Stress} \times \text{Total Strain}]
Where:
- Total Stress is measured in Pascals (Pa)
- Total Strain is a dimensionless ratio of deformation
Calculation Example
For a material with:
- Total stress: 300 Pa
- Total strain: 0.45
Using the formula:
[\text{Modulus of Resilience} = 300 \times 0.45 = 135 \text{ Pa}]
The modulus of resilience is 135 Pa.
Modulus of Resilience for Common Materials
| Material | Approximate Value (kJ/mยณ) |
|---|---|
| Steel | 100-200 |
| Aluminum | 50-100 |
| Rubber | 5000-10000 |
| Glass | 1-5 |
| Wood | 50-150 |
Applications
- Springs: High resilience for energy storage and release
- Shock absorbers: Absorb impact without permanent damage
- Safety equipment: Helmets and padding materials
- Structural design: Components subject to repeated loading