MEEN 3145 EXP 3

IMPACT TESTING - BACKGROUND

Often loads are applied suddenly and materials are subjected to impact loading. In many
cases, one sudden blow is sufficient to destroy a component or product, especially at low
temperatures where steel and other materials suffer a loss of toughness. In order to avoid a
destruction by sudden, or impact loading, materials must be carefully selected to possess proper
energy absorption characteristics to provide adequate service.
There are two types of impact tests that are in common usage. One is the bending test, and
the other is the tension test.
In the bending test, a specimen is supported as a beam and the impact loading is applied to it.
In one such test, the Charpy test, the specimen is supported as a simple beam. The specimen may
also be supported as a cantilever beam, and this test is designated as the Izod test.
Machines used in these tests use a heavy pendulum to swing down and apply the impact load
to the specimen. The energy needed to break the specimen is easily determined by calculating the
potential energy of the pendulum at the top of the swing and subtracting from it the energy
remaining after breaking the specimen.
Specimens used in impact tests must be carefully prepared. The V-notches cut into the
specimens must have the proper radius at the root of the notch to render accurate results. Since
the stress at the root of the notch is directly related to the radius, comparison of two specimens is
only meaningful if the notch radii are comparable. It is a common practice for pressure vessels
and piping systems, such as those used in refineries and chemical plants to specify minimum
levels of energy absorption for materials to be used in such environments. These requirements
always include a test temperature for proof testing of these materials.
Tension impact testing is not as common as the bending test, probably because the test is
more difficult to perform. In a uniaxial tensile impact test, the load is applied through a variable
speed flywheel.
The subject of impact testing falls under the general category of fracture mechanics, a field
that is currently under vigorous investigation.

Figure 3-1: Impact Energy vs. Temperature

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MEEN 3145 EXP 3
IMPACT TEST - EXPERIMENT
OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this experiment is to familiarize with the Charpy Impact testing machine
and to investigate impact properties of ferrous and non-ferrous materials at room temperature.

ASTM STANDARD: ASTM E23, ASTM D6110

APPARATUS:
Impact Test Machine, oven.

PROCEDURE:
WARNING: MAKE SURE NO ONE IS IN THE PATH OF THE PENDULUM!
1. Secure test specimens from the instructor. Identify each specimen type.
2. Verify that the triangularly shaped striking edge is securely attached to the pendulum.
3. Set the pendulum height to 48 inches. Make sure that it is securely locked in place. This
height should remain constant throughout the experiment. Adjust the scale so that you are
using the 0-120 ft-lbf (top), or 0-60 ft-lbf (lower) scale. Press the lever to release the
pendulum. Take measurement of the air friction.
4. Place the specimens in the vise one at a time, and conduct the impact test on each. Use
pliers or tongs to handle the hot and cold specimens.
5. Record the impact energy reading for each specimen.
Calculate percent brittle area and percent ductile area. Be sure to describe the fractured
surface.

REPORT:

The report should be written in the standard form adopted for the course.

The following items should be included in the report:

DATA:

Plot a graph of impact energy for each material, and discuss the findings.

Plot a graph of percent brittle and percent ductile area for each material, and discuss the findings.

Describe fracture area.

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