Experiment on relationship between the magnetic gradient of low-carbon steel and its stress

In geomagnetic field, a series of tensile experiments on the low-carbon steel sticks were carried out. A special homemade detector was used to measure the magnetic gradient on the material surface. The results showed that the relationship between the magnetic gradient and the stress varied with different conditions of measurement. There was no obvious correlation between the magnetic gradient and the tensile stress if the sample remained on the material test machine. If the sample was taken off from the machine, the measured magnetic gradient was linear with the prior maximum stress. In Nanjing, PR China, a place of 32°N latitude, the slope of the linear relationship was about 67 (uT/m)/MPa. This offered a new method of non-destructive stress testing by measuring the magnetic gradient on the ferromagnetic component surface. The prior maximum applied stress of the sample could be tested by measuring the present surface magnetic gradient. Actually this phenomenon was the metal magnetic memory (MMM). The magnetic gradient near the stress concentration zone of the sample, the necking point, was much larger than other area. Thus, the hidden damage in the ferromagnetic component could be detected early by measuring the magnetic gradient distribution on its surface. In addition, the magnetic memory signal gradually weakened as the sample was taken off and laid aside. Therefore, it was effective for a given period of time to detect the stress or stress concentration based on the MMM testing.