June 07, 2015

Impact Testing
Subject Inspection and Tesing

Submitted to Mr. Usman Sikander

Submitted by Talha Ahmed Mirza (2012-MM-22)

Aqif Zulfiqar (2012-MM-37)

Waqas Zia (2012-MM-38)

Iram Munawer (2012-MM-40)

Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department

University of Engineering and Technology Lahore

Experiment # 9 Torsion Test

Contents

Objective..........................................................................................................................................3

Overview..........................................................................................................................................3

Introduction......................................................................................................................................4

Principle of impact test....................................................................................................................4

Types of impact test.........................................................................................................................4

Charpy impact test.......................................................................................................................4

Sample Specifications for Charpy Impact Test.......................................................................5

Izod impact test............................................................................................................................6

Sample specifications for Izod impact test..............................................................................6

Construction of Charpy Impact Testing Machine...........................................................................6

Why notch is present.......................................................................................................................7

Working...........................................................................................................................................7

Absorbed Energy Calculation..........................................................................................................8

Energy absorbed during impact test is calculated by the formula given below:.............................8

Ductile to Brittle Transition Temperature.......................................................................................9

Advantages of Impact Test............................................................................................................10

Disadvantages of Impact Test........................................................................................................11

Precautions.....................................................................................................................................11

Experimentation.............................................................................................................................12

Apparatus...................................................................................................................................12

Procedure...................................................................................................................................12

Observations and Calculations......................................................................................................12

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Discussions....................................................................................................................................13

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................13

Bibliography..................................................................................................................................14

List of Figures

Figure 1 Charpy Impact Tester........................................................................................................5

Figure 2 Dimensions of U-Notched Specimen................................................................................5

Figure 3 Dimensions of V-Notched Specimen................................................................................5

Figure 4 Izod Sample Geometry......................................................................................................6

Figure 5 Construction of Charpy Impact Testing Machine.............................................................7

Figure 6 Ductile to Brittle Transition Temperature Curve..............................................................9

Figure 7 Fractured Surfaces at Different Temperatures................................................................10

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Objective

 To study the mechanism of Charpy Impact test

 To calculate the impact energy of given carbon steel specimens.
 To study the effect of notch while impact testing.

Overview

Impact test is very vital for checking the toughness of different engineering materials. In
this lab report, Charpy impact test was performed on various U-notched and V-notched
specimens. All these specimens were of carbon steels. After the test, impact energy for each
specimen was calculated. Final results showed that U-notched specimens were less tough as
compared to V-notched specimens.

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Introduction

Different materials are used in engineering applications according to their properties. We

should have information about how material will respond under a certain applied load. The effect
of impact loading on the specimen is determined by using impact testing machines. Impact tests
are used to measure the resistance to failure of a material to a suddenly applied load. The test
measures the energy absorbed prior to fracture. The most common methods of measuring impact
energy are the Charpy Test and Izod Test. The Charpy test is most commonly used to evaluate
the relative toughness or impact toughness of materials and as such is often used in quality
control applications where it is a fast and economical test.

Principle of impact test

Impact test is a dynamic test, works on the principle in which load is applied on the
specimen having notch of certain dimension in such a way that the single blow of a freely
swinging pendulum or hammer results into the breakage of sample. The specimen absorbs
energy which is then calculated.

Types of impact test

There are two types of impact test.

1. Charpy impact test

2. Izod impact test

Charpy impact test

In this test a suitable material is struck with a controlled blow and the energy absorbed in
bending or breaking of specimen is measured. The energy value indicates the toughness of the
material. Hammer strikes on the opposite side of the notch. This specimen placed like a simply
supported beam in a horizontal position.

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Figure 1 Charpy Impact Tester

Sample Specifications for Charpy Impact Test

• U-notch– A 5mm deep notch with 1mm radius at the base of the notch.

Figure 2 Dimensions of U-Notched Specimen

• V-notch – A V-shaped notch, 2mm deep, with 45° angle and 0.25mm radius along the base.

Figure 3 Dimensions of V-Notched Specimen

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Izod impact test

The specimen is clamped vertically at one end like cantilever beam and is struck with the
pendulum hammer on the same side of the notch.
Sample specifications for Izod Impact test

In case of Izod impact test only one type of notch is present that is V-notch.

Figure 4 Izod Sample Geometry

Construction of Charpy Impact Testing Machine

It consists of a pendulum or hammer of known length and weight. There is a scale for
angle measurement. Anvil having a fixed geometry portion is there for the placement of
specimen. For safety measurements the path followed by hammer is covered with fence. So that
high speed moving hammer couldn’t strike the operator. At the bottom rubber pad is used which
will aid to stop the motion of hammer.

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Figure 5 Construction of Charpy Impact Testing Machine

Why notch is present

Charpy Impact Test specimen is normally a metallic bar, or other engineering material,
usually of dimensions of 55x10x10mm and have a notch along its length. Notch is provided as a
function of initiation of crack.

The purpose of charpy test is to assume the materials` ability towards brittle fracture. And
this brittle fracture always starts from imperfections like notches or cracks present. These cracks
behaves as stress concentrated zones. Dimensions of these notches are thus important.

Working

Test consists of striking the standard sized specimen with a pendulum of known weight
containing a hammer assembly of specific shape. Potential energy of about 300J is stored into the

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pendulum as it is raised to the maximum provided known height. When the specimen is placed
and pendulum is released, it strikes the specimen with an impact and the potential energy is
converted into kinetic energy. Specimen absorbs some energy and gets fractured. The rest energy
is used to raise the pendulum on the opposite side of machine as shown in figure.

Now height of the pendulum on other side has inverse relation with the energy absorbed
by specimen upto fracture. Brittle materials absorb less energy before fracture and pendulum is
raised upto more height on other end. Ductile fracture results into lesser height of pendulum as
high energy is absorbed. The height after the strike is determined by the pointer`s movement.
This height is then used to calculate the energy absorbed in the material.

Absorbed Energy Calculation

Energy absorbed during impact test is calculated by the formula given below:

Impact Energy = PD (cosβ - cosα)

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Where P = Weight of hammer

α = Hammer lifting angle = 139.5o

D = Distance of axis from striking point

β = Hammer swing up angle (β)

Ductile to Brittle Transition Temperature

Temperature plays important role towards fracture behavior of materials. In general, at

lower temperature brittle fracture gets favored and lesser energy is absorbed by material to
fracture. This transition can be observed using the different specimen of same material at
different temperature and applying test upon them. And we can plot a graph of impact energy vs.
temperature. Transition becomes apparent and a curve is achieved. It is observed practically that
BCC metals show strong response towards transition at different temperatures and FCC metals
don`t show dramatic change towards fracture behavior, the reason behind is the possible slip
plains. FCC metals have more slip plains which get activated by changing temperature. So we
can say ductile to brittle transition is of more concern for BCC structured metals than for FCC.

This curve shows three distinct regions as shown below,

Figure 6 Ductile to Brittle Transition Temperature Curve

Samples tested at lower temperatures contain fractured surfaces primarily as cleavage

facets and sometimes ductile dimples are also observed. Relatively lesser energy is required to

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form a flat fractured surface. By increasing temperature cleavage area is reduced and ductile
dimpled surfaces are increased, this behavior can be seen in the picture below. In transition range
the fractured surface shows the mixed behavior for brittle and ductile features.

Figure 7 Fractured Surfaces at Different Temperatures

Energy absorbed increases rapidly in the transition range and specimen`s fractured
surface can be observed for both ductile and brittle fashioned fractures. The extent to which
ductile or brittle patches can be observed depend upon the temperature in this range. Lower the
temperature more brittle behavior is observed in this range and fractured surface as well.

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Advantages of Impact Test

1. Simple and low cost test, need not costly specimen preparation.
2. Range of sub-ambient temperatures can be used as testing conditions.
3. Test can be used for studying the alloys and heat treated notch toughness.
4. Quality control and acceptance of materials are often carried out by this test.

Disadvantages of Impact Test

1. Test results are difficult to be used in design.

2. No relation of data provided by charpy test with the below size.
3. Well defined transition curves may be difficult to form sometimes due to large scatter
inherent in testing procedure.

Precautions

1. Notch preparation should be very proper because it effects the toughness value.
2. Notch center should be aligned with center of the support.
3. Parallax errors should be carefully avoided for impact energy reading.

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Experimentation

To perform Charpy Impact test on carbon steel specimens using Impact testing machine and
to calculate respective Impact Energy

Apparatus

 Impact testing machine

 Carbon steel specimens of specified particulars

Procedure

 Adjust the anvils of the machine.

 Raise the pendulum hammer of the machine to the specific height using the rotating
wheel assembly.
 Set the pointer to zero.
 Release the pendulum, first without placement of specimen, to record any zero error.
 Record zero error, if any.
 Now again raise the pendulum hammer.
 Place the Charpy specimen accurately in position on the anvils. The notch must not face
the hammer and it should be in line with it.
 Set the pointer to zero
 Release the hammer and record the pointer reading.
 Repeat the same procedure for the samples.

Observations and Calculations

 Hammer lifting angle = α = 139.5o

 Distance of axis from striking point = D = 850 mm
 Zero Error = - 1o
 Weight of hammer = P = 392 N ~ 40 Kg

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 Hammer striking speed = 54 ms-1

Corrected
Hammer Hammer Impact Energy
reading of
Specimen Sample # lifting angle swing up angle PD(cosβ - cosα)
angle
(α) (β) (J)
(β+Z.E.)

Sample 1 139.5 105 106 161.5

U shaped
Sample 2 139.5 103.5 104.5 169.9
Notch
Sample 3 139.5 104.5 105.5 164.32
Sample 1 139.5 97 98 206.99
V shaped
Sample 2 139.5 94.5 95.5 221.41
Notch
Sample 3 139.5 95 96 218.54

Discussions

U-shaped notches provide less stress concentration in the specimens. That’s why on the
application of impact load, high impact energies will be obtained during the testing of U –
Notched specimens. Hence they show higher toughness. On the other hand, in case of V –
Notched specimens, stress concentration is relatively high due to sharp notch geometry. Owing
to this, less impact energy will be achieved and lesser toughness will be there.

But in our case, the results are opposite to what is supposed in reality. May be this is due
to the prior treatment of the carbon steel specimens or some compositional defects. Moreover,
these specimens were low carbon steels because they did not break up completely on the
application of impact load and had high toughness.

Conclusion

Concluding all, it is inferred that the given specimens were low carbon steels. U-notched
specimen showed less impact energies than V-notched specimens.

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Bibliography

 Mechanical Testing, ASM Handbook, Volume 8.

 Testing of Metals by Dr. Fazal Karim.

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