I was doing the compression tests on previously thermomechanically deformed pure titanium. The samples were uniaxially compressed in room temperature. The samples were cylindrical, and their dimmesions were 12 mm in diameter and 4.5 mm in height.
In order to fit an extensometer into INSTRON machine two additional fixtures were put between grips and the sample.
What can cause the concave shape of my curves at the begining of compression?