UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

ENGINEERING MATERIALS
EE003-3-1

TITLE

CHARPY IMPACT TEST

EXPT. No.

NAME & ID.

INTAKE

LECTURER

DATE

EXPERIMENT 1
OBJECTIVE

: To understand and determine the impact resistance for different test

materials.

APPARATUS :

Figure 1
Labelling :
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.

Pendulum Hammer
Pointer
Safety Grid
Base
Release Handle
Degree Scale
Brake Handle
Charpy Vice & Charpy Knife

PROCEDURE :
1. Ensure that the knife and the test specimen holder are tightened properly.
2. Move the hammer up and lock it with the release lever. Ensure that the locking
mechanism is holding the hammer pendulum.
3. Measure and record the cross section area of the test specimen.
4. Place the test specimen onto the holder. Ensure that the test specimen is placed
properly.
5. Set the pointer and record the degree pointed.
6. Release the pendulum by pushing the pendulum releasing lever locking mechanism to
right hand side.
7. The pendulum will then strike the test specimen. Allow the pendulum to swing freely
for a few cycles.
8. Once the pendulum slows down, stop it completely by using the braking mechanism.
9. Record the resultant energy from the energy scale.
10. Repeat the experiment by using different test specimens. (Optional: Prepare the
specimens at different temperature for the temperature effect on impact strength
investigation.)
11. Record the results.

FORMULA :
Energy absorbed by broken test specimen, E = Potential Energy at 120 - Resultant energy
after impact
Impact Strength =

A = cross sectional area of the test specimen

E
A

.. (a)

DATASHEET :
Test Specimen Dimensions
Specimen

Width
(mm)

Thickness
(mm)

Cross-sectional
Area (m2)

Aluminium
Brass
Copper
Mild Steel

Table 1
Energy Absorbed by Specimen
Start Angle:
Initial Energy:
No.

Specimen

Aluminium

2
3
4

Brass
Copper
Mild Steel

Angle
Reading
After Impact
()

Final
Energy (J)

Table 2

Conversion Table

Absorbed
Energy, E
(J)

Impact
Strength (J/m2)

Degree ()

Energy (J)

Degree ()

Energy (J)

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

0.0000
0.0057
0.0227
0.0510
0.0906
0.1416
0.2038
0.2773
0.3621
0.4581
0.5653
0.6836
0.8131
0.9536
1.1052
1.2678
1.4413
1.6258
1.8210
2.0271
2.2438
2.4713
2.7093
2.9578
3.2167
3.4860
3.7656
4.0553
4.3552
4.6650
4.9848
5.3144
5.6537
6.0026
6.3610
6.7288
7.1059
7.4921
7.8875
8.2917
8.7048

41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81

9.1265
9.5568
9.9955
10.4425
10.8976
11.3608
11.8318
12.3106
12.7970
13.2908
13.7918
14.3000
14.8152
15.3372
15.8659
16.4011
16.9426
17.4902
18.0439
18.6034
19.1686
19.7393
20.3153
20.8965
21.4826
22.0735
22.669
23.2689
23.8731
24.4814
25.0935
25.7093
26.3286
26.9513
27.577
28.2057
28.8372
29.4711
30.1075
30.746
31.3864

Degree ()

Energy (J)

82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120

32.0287
32.6725
33.3177
33.9641
34.6115
35.2596
35.9084
36.5575
37.2069
37.8562
38.5054
39.1541
39.8023
40.4497
41.0961
41.7413
42.3851
43.0273
43.6678
44.3063
44.9426
45.5766
46.208
46.8367
47.4625
48.0851
48.7044
49.3203
49.9324
50.5406
51.1448
51.7448
52.3403
52.9312
53.5173
54.0984
54.6744
55.2451
55.8103

DISCUSSION :
a) Define the impact strength and fracture toughness.
b) Does temperature affect a materials fracture properties? Explain the temperature
effect on fracture toughness.
c) How would you select a material to serve as a vehicles frame to ensure optimum
passenger safety in the event of collision?