Military Institute of Science and Technology

Course Code : NAME 202

Course Name :Mechanics of Structure Sessional

Kaniza Islam
Lecturer

Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

 Exp-03: Hardness Test of Metal Specimen

Objectives:

a. Determine the Rockwell Hardness Number of the Metal Specimen.

b. Determine the corresponding Brinell Hardness Number from the Rockwell Hardness
Number.

c. Calculate the tensile strength of the metal.

 Hardness
Hardness is a measure of a material’s resistance to plastic localised deformation(e.g., a small dent or
a scratch).
Hardness tests are performed more frequently than any other mechanical test for several reasons:

1. They are simple and inexpensive—typically, no special specimen need be prepared, and the testing apparatus is
relatively inexpensive.
2. The test is non-destructive—the specimen is neither fractured nor excessively deformed; a small indentation is
the only deformation.
3. Other mechanical properties often may be estimated from hardness data, such as tensile strength.
 Exp-03: Hardness Test of Metal Specimen
• A hardness test is typically performed by pressing a specifically dimensioned and loaded object (indenter) into
the surface of the material we are testing.
• The depth or size of the resulting indentation is measured and related to a hardness number; the softer the
material, the larger and deeper the indentation, and the lower the hardness index number.
• The two most common hardness testing techniques are the Rockwell and Brinell tests.
• The Rockwell tests constitute the most common method used to measure hardness because they are so simple
to perform and require no special skills. With this system, a hardness number is determined by the difference in
depth of penetration resulting from the application of an initial minor load followed by a larger major load;
utilization of a minor load enhances test accuracy. For the Rockwell test, the minor load is 10 kg, whereas major
loads are 60, 100, and 150 kg.
• In Brinell tests, as in Rockwell measurements, a hard, spherical indenter is forced into the surface of the metal
to be tested.
• Several scales are available for the Rockwell test; for the Brinell test, there is a single scale.
• Brinell hardness is determined from indentation size; the Rockwell test is based on the difference in indentation
depth from the imposition of minor and major loads.
 Exp-03: Hardness Test of Metal Specimen

• For some metals, a plot of hardness versus tensile strength

is linear—that is, these two parameters are proportional to
one another.
Exp-03: Hardness Test of Metal Specimen
 Exp-03: Hardness Test of Metal Specimen

Table: Experimental data and calculated result

No of Specimen Load Scale used Type of Rockwell Brinell no Tensile Strength

obs designation applied indentor no(RN) (from chart)
used
 Exp-03: Hardness Test of Metal Specimen

No of Specimen Load Scale used Type of Rockwell Brinell no Tensile Strength

obs designation applied indentor no(RN) (from chart)
used
1.

2. Cast Iron 150 kg C Diamond 32

Strength is used instead of stress because strength is a property of the metal, whereas stress is related to the magnitude of
the applied load.