To measure accurately the elastic modulus of a metal, E, can be a difficult
task when a specimen undergoes plastic strains. Moreover, some failure cri
teria, such as those associated with Continuum Damage Mechanics, require th
e change of elastic modulus with strain to define a measure of damage, D, i
n a material or structure. Thus, it is important to assess the possible geo
metrical influence of a specimen on the measurement of the elastic modulus
at different deformation levels. It is shown in this article, with the aid
of a numerical simulation, that any plastic strains induce important geomet
rical effects in the evaluation of E, which have a significant influence on
the evaluation of the scalar damage parameter, D. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc
e Ltd. All rights reserved.