The socalled Ashby materials selection plots can be used to

The so-called \"Ashby\" materials selection plots can be used to identify candidate materials for certain applications. The figure shown illustrates \"guide lines\" for minimizing the weight when failure is a criterion. The guide line (or performance index) for a member loaded in tension is sigma_t/rho where sigma_t is the yield strength of the material and rho is the mass density. The weight of the member will be minimized when the performance index is maximized. Identify three materials dial will maximize the performance index for tensile loading, calculate the index for each material using values of sigma_t and rho approximated from the figure, and indicate which of your three materials will be \"best\" choice for this application.

Solution

Ceramics, composites and alloys aare the three materials that will maximize performance index for tensile loading .

Slope can be found from the graph by drawing straight lines in that region.