Metallurgical & Material Engineering UET LHR 1

To find the value of toughness of given heat treated metallic samples using
impact testing

1. Introduction:
1.1 Toughness:
Toughness is the ability of a material to absorb energy and plastically deform without
fracturing. The area under the stress–strain curve is called toughness. While fracture
toughness is the energy absorbed during complete fracture of the material. With the help of
toughness, the ductility of the material is observed.

Figure #1: Toughness

1.2. Impact testing method:

Impact tester is also called pendulum impact tester. The pendulum impact test involves the
measurement of the energy required to break a test specimen that is clamped at the ends and
then struck in the center by a pendulum weight. The energy required to break the specimen is
obtained from the loss in energy of the pendulum.

It consists of set of hammers (tup). Tup consists of different sizes, named alphabetically in
ascending order.
 Metallurgical & Material Engineering UET LHR 2
To find the value of toughness of given heat treated metallic samples using
impact testing

Figure #2: Impact test

1.2.1. Types of impact test:

There are two types of impact test which are given below.

 Charpy impact test

 Izod impact test

 Charpy impact test:

A test specimen having a V-shaped notch is placed on the holder in such position that the
notched section is in the centre of the holder, and the specimen is broken by striking the back
of the notched section with the hammer. The fracture energy is determined from the swing-up
angle of the hammer and its swing-down angle. The Charpy impact value (kJ/m2) is
calculated by dividing the fracture energy by the cross-section area of the specimen.
 Metallurgical & Material Engineering UET LHR 3
To find the value of toughness of given heat treated metallic samples using
impact testing

Figure #3: Charpy impact test

 Izod impact test:

A test specimen having a V-shaped notch is fixed vertically, and the specimen is broken by
striking it from the same side as that of the notch by the use of the hammer. The fracture
energy is determined from the swing-up angle of the hammer and its swing-down angle. The
Izod impact value (J/m, kJ/m2) is calculated by dividing the fracture energy by the width of
the specimen. [1]

Figure #4: Izod impact test

1.3. Importance of impact testing:

Impact Testing of metallic materials determines the toughness or impact strength of the
material in the presence of a flaw or notch and fast loading conditions. The amount of energy
absorbed by the material during fracture is measured. This energy absorption is directly
related to the brittleness of the material.
 Metallurgical & Material Engineering UET LHR 4
To find the value of toughness of given heat treated metallic samples using
impact testing

2. Experimental Work
2.1. Apparatus:
 Blade
 Different heat treated metallic samples (steel)
 Sample holder
 Impact testing machine

2.2. Procedure:

 Different heat treated metallic samples were taken.

 The sample length was set 55mm, width was 10mm and height was 10mm keeping
the notch (u-shaped and v-shaped) exact in the center of the specimen by cutting the
specimen from both ends.
 A tup was selected and installed in the machine. The tup was raised at an angle of
1400.
 The dial pointer was set to the end of scale.
 The specimen was placed on machine anvil and centralized by using the sample
holder.
 The catch hook was released and the pointer position was read on the scale.

3. Precautions:
 Wear lab coat and safety gloves.
 Hold the sample carefully while cutting.
 Keep yourselves away from the face of plastic impact testing machine while releasing
the catch hook.
 Note the readings carefully.
 Metallurgical & Material Engineering UET LHR 5
To find the value of toughness of given heat treated metallic samples using
impact testing

4. Observations and Calculations:

Formula:

E=P*D(cosα – cosβ)

Where α=139.50

Figure #5: tested sample

Sample Angle Energy (lb.ft)

Water quenched 120.50 7.150

Normalized
sample
Oil quenched
u-notch
u-notch 103.50 14.900

u-notch 89.50 21.74

 Metallurgical & Material Engineering UET LHR 6
To find the value of toughness of given heat treated metallic samples using
impact testing

5. Result &Discussion:
In this lab activity, charpy test is performed to determine toughness of given samples. It is
found that material having large stress concentrated region has little ability to absorb energy.
Thus, it has less toughness relative to material having small stress concentrated region.

The notch is placed to concentrate the stress and encourage fracture. It is very important
because it can affect the result of the test.

The faster the cooling rate the higher the hardness (in steels). Water quenched sample has less
toughness because at fast cooling carbon do not get time to diffuse out from austenitic region
and martensite formed which is brittle in nature. In brittle materials, plastic deformation not
takes place and material directly breaks after elastic deformation.). So, Water-quenched steels
will generally be harder than oil-quenched steels and normalized sample. This is mainly
because the thermal conductivity of water is higher than the thermal conductivity of most oils
and Viscosity of oil is greater than water; consequently, the rates of cooling will be less rapid
(or lower) in oils compared with water. Normalized sample has less toughness than oil
quenched but greater than water cooled. It is due to greater viscosity of oil. Temperature also
affects the toughness of a material. This test can be performed at a series of temperatures to
show the relationship of ductile to brittle transition in absorbed energy.

6. Conclusion:
Toughness depends on cooling rate. As with the change in cooling rate, microstructure
changed with changed in toughness.

7. Reference:

https://www.element.com/nucleus/2016/12/12/21/43/charpy-vs-izod-impact [1]
 Metallurgical & Material Engineering UET LHR 7
To find the value of toughness of given heat treated metallic samples using
impact testing