The Charpy Impact Test

and
Fracture Toughness
The Charpy Impact Test

Zero Setting
 Fracture Energy vs. Temperature
for Various Metals

Source: J. Morrow, Univ. of Manchester (UK)

Fracture Energy and Mode Percentage
vs. Temperature for A36 Steel

brittle ductile

DBT
 Defining a Transition Temperature

• In general, there is no single specific

criteria for defining a transition brittle ductile
temperature; various definitions are
used:
– Fracture Transition Plastic (FTP) is the
temperature above which the fracture
is 100% fibrous/shear (0%
cleavage/ductile). This is the most
conservature estimate.
– Nil Ductility Temperature (NDT) is the
temperature below which the fracture
is 100% cleavage/shear.
– Fracture Appearance Transition
Temperature (FATT) is the temperature
at which the fracture surface is 50-
50% cleavage and fibrous. This can NDT FATT FTP
alternativey be based upon the mean
of the “upper” and “lower” shelf
energies.
Fracture Surface Appearance vs. Temperature
(°Fahrenheit)

brittle ductile

bright appearance, cleavage failure dull appearance, plastic deformation

 Carbon Content Effect on DBT Behavior

Increasing
Carbon

Note: Increasing %C decreases fracture toughness although increasing strength

 Fracture Energy vs. Atomic Structure

• FCC structures exhibit no DBT, remain

ductile at all temperatures (e.g., Al and Cu-
based alloys)

• BCC/HCP structures do exhibit DBT

characteristics
ME124 Test Data from Spring 2000

ME124 Charpy Impact Test Data - Spr 2000

160
C1081 Steel
6061 Al
140
Brass
4340 Steel
120
A36 Steel
Cast Iron
Fracture Energy (ft-lb)

100

80

60

40

20

0
-250 -200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200 250
Tem perature (deg C)
Fracture Surface Microstructure

brittle ductile