Technical College-Baghdad

Impact Test

5. Impact Test
5-1 Objective
To determine the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of metal specimens by impact test
using different methods.

5-2 Introduction
Various types of notched-bar impact tests are used to determine the tendency of a material to
behave as a brittle manner. This type of test will detect differences between materials which are
not observable in a tension test. The results obtained from notched-bar tests are not readily
expressed in terms of design requirements, since it is not possible to measure the components of
the triaxial stress condition at the notch.

5-3 Theory
Two standardized tests, the Charpy and Izod, were designed and are still used to measure the
impact energy, sometimes also termed notch toughness. The Charpy V-notch (CVN) technique is
most commonly used in the United States. For both Charpy and Izod, the specimen is in the
shape of a bar of square cross section, into which a V-notch is machined. The load is applied as
an impact blow from a weighted pendulum hammer that is released from a cocked position at a
fixed height h. The specimen is positioned at the base as shown. Upon release, a knife edge
mounted on the pendulum strikes and fractures the specimen at the notch, which acts as a point
of stress concentration for this high-velocity impact blow. The pendulum continues its swing,
rising to a maximum height hʹ which is lower than h. The energy absorption, computed from the
difference between h and hʹ is a measure of the impact energy [the difference in potential energy
= mg(h – hʹ)]. The primary difference between the Charpy and Izod techniques lies in the
manner of specimen support, as illustrated in Fig. 5-1. Furthermore, these are termed impact tests
in light of the manner of load application.

Fig. 5-1; Specimen types and test configurations for pendulum impact tests. (a) Charpy method (b) Izod
method

Prof. Adnan N. Abood

Asst. Lec. Zainab Waheed
27
 Technical College-Baghdad
Impact Test

5-3-1 Ductile-to-Brittle Transition

One of the primary functions of Charpy and Izod tests is to determine whether or not a
material experiences a ductile-to-brittle transition with decreasing temperature and, if so, the
range of temperatures over which it occurs. The ductile-to-brittle transition is related to the
temperature dependence of the measured impact energy absorption. This transition is represented
for a steel by curve A in Fig. 5-2. At higher temperatures the CVN energy is relatively large, in
correlation with a ductile mode of fracture. As the temperature is lowered, the impact energy
drops suddenly over a relatively narrow temperature range, below which the energy has a
constant but small value; that is, the mode of fracture is brittle.

Fig. 5-2; Temperature dependence of the Charpy V-notch impact energy (curve A) and percent shear
fracture (curve B) for an A283 steel.

Alternatively, appearance of the failure surface is indicative of the nature of fracture and may
be used in transition temperature determinations. For ductile fracture this surface appears fibrous
or dull (or of shear character), as in the steel specimen of Fig. 5-3 that was tested at 79 ◦C.
Conversely, totally brittle surfaces have a granular (shiny) texture (or cleavage character) (the -
59 ◦C specimen, Fig. 3). Over the ductile-to-brittle transition, features of both types will exist (in
Fig. 3, displayed by specimens tested at -12 ◦C, 4 ◦C, 16 ◦C and 24 ◦C).

Fig. 5-3; Photograph of fracture surfaces of A36 steel Charpy V-notch specimens tested at indicated
◦
temperatures (in C).

Prof. Adnan N. Abood

Asst. Lec. Zainab Waheed
28
 Technical College-Baghdad
Impact Test

Frequently, the percent shear fracture is plotted as a function of temperature-curve B in Fig.

5-2. For many alloys there is a range of temperatures over which the ductile-to-brittle transition
occurs (Fig. 5-3); this presents some difficulty in specifying a single ductile-to-brittle transition
temperature. No explicit criterion has been established, and so this temperature is often defined
as that temperature at which the CVN energy assumes some value (e.g., 27 J), or corresponding
to some given fracture appearance (e.g., 50% fibrous fracture).
Matters are further complicated in as much as a different transition temperature may be
realized for each of these criteria. Perhaps the most conservative transition temperature is that at
which the fracture surface becomes 100% fibrous; on this basis, the transition temperature is
approximately 110-130 ◦C for the steel alloy that is the subject of Fig. 5-3. In addition to the
ductile-to-brittle transition represented in Fig. 5-3, two other general types of impact energy-
versus-temperature behavior have been observed; these are represented schematically by the
upper and lower curves of Fig. 5-4.
Here it may be noted that low-strength FCC metals (some aluminum and copper alloys) and
most HCP metals do not experience a ductile-to-brittle transition (corresponding to the upper
curve of Fig. 5-4), and retain high impact energies (i.e., remain ductile) with decreasing
temperature. For high-strength materials (e.g., high-strength steels and titanium alloys), the
impact energy is also relatively insensitive to temperature (the lower curve of Fig. 5-4); however,
these materials are also very brittle, as reflected by their low impact energy values. And, of
course, the characteristic ductile-to-brittle transition is represented by the middle curve of Fig. 5-
4. As noted, this behavior is typically found in low-strength steels that have the BCC crystal
structure. Most ceramics and polymers also experience a ductile-to-brittle transition. For ceramic
materials, the transition occurs only at elevated temperatures, ordinarily in excess of 1000 ◦C.

Fig. 5-4; Schematic curve for the three general types of impact energy-versus temperature behavior.

5-4 Specimens
The type of specimen chosen depends largely upon the characteristics of the material to be
tested. A given specimen may not be equally satisfactory for soft nonferrous metals and
hardened steels; therefore, many types of specimens are recognized. In general, sharper and

Prof. Adnan N. Abood

Asst. Lec. Zainab Waheed
29
 Technical College-Baghdad
Impact Test

deeper notches are required to distinguish differences in very ductile materials or when using low
testing velocities. The specimens shown in Figs. 5-5 a, b, c and 6 are those most widely used and
most generally satisfactory. They are particularly suitable for ferrous metals, excepting cast iron.
The specimen commonly found suitable for die-cast alloys is shown in Fig. 5-7.

Fig. 5-5; Charpy (Simple-Beam) Impact Test Specimens, Types a, b, and c

The specimens commonly found suitable for powdered metals (P/M) are shown in Figs. 5-8
and 5-9. The specimen surface may be in the as-produced condition or smoothly machined, but
polishing has proven generally unnecessary. Un-notched specimens are used with P/M materials.
In P/M materials, the impact test results are affected by specimen orientation. Therefore, unless
otherwise specified, the position of the specimen in the machine shall be such that the pendulum
will strike a surface that is parallel to the compacting direction.

Fig. 5-6; Izod (Cantilever-Beam) Impact Test Specimen

Fig. 5-7; Izod Impact Test Bar for Die Castings Alloys

Prof. Adnan N. Abood

Asst. Lec. Zainab Waheed
30
 Technical College-Baghdad
Impact Test

Fig. 5-8; Charpy (Simple Beam) Impact Test Specimens for Metal Powder Structural Parts

Fig. 5-9; Izod (Cantilever-Beam) Impact Test Specimen for Metal Powder Structural Parts

5-5 Procedures

1. Check that the operating lever of the impact testing machine is at the “Brake” position
and that the Release Stop is installed.
2. Study the Charpy Impact Testing Machine and the two energy scales. The low-energy
scale will be used for tests at 0°C and below and the high-energy scale for tests at
tempera above 0°C.
3. Practice the proper method to grip the specimen using the special purpose tongs provided.
Also learn to mount the specimen properly in the impact testing machine.
4. Turn the operating lever to the “Latch” position. Raise the pendulum to the lower energy
or higher energy position depending upon the temperature at which the test is about to be
done. Keep all parts of your body well away from under the pendulum until the test is
completed. Adjust the recording pointer on the energy scale such that it touches the
moving pointer at the proper side.
5. Gripping the specimen with the tongs, immerse it into the liquid nitrogen provided and
hold until the liquid nitrogen stops boiling. Remove the specimen from the liquid
nitrogen bath and, without any loss of time, mount it onto the impact testing machine.
6. Keeping a good distance from the machine, turn the operating lever to the “Release”
position. The pendulum will swing down, hit the specimen, break it and swing up to the
other side. Turn the operating lever to the “Brake” position.
7. Read on the scale the value of the impact energy absorbed by the specimen for the
fracture. Record this value.

Prof. Adnan N. Abood

Asst. Lec. Zainab Waheed
31
 Technical College-Baghdad
Impact Test

8. Repeat the steps 4 to 7 at the various temperatures. The temperatures can be achieved by
immersing the specimen into constant temperature baths of liquid nitrogen, dry ice, plain
ice and boiling water.
9. Study the fracture surface of all the specimens of any one material and sketch them,
neatly differentiating between the ductile and brittle fracture areas.
10. Make a table showing the material, the temperature, the impact fracture energy and the
mode of failure.
11. Plot the impact energy (Y axis) versus temperature (X axis) and draw a smooth curve
through the points.

5-6 Results and Calculations

* Following is tabulated data that were gathered from a series of Charpy impact tests on a
tempered 4340 steel alloy.

Temperature (T): 0 -25 -50 -75 -100 -113 -125 -150 -175 -200
Impact Energy (J): 105 104 103 97 63 40 34 28 25 24

(a) Plot the data as impact energy versus temperature.

(b) Determine a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature as that temperature corresponding to
the average of the maximum and minimum impact energies (ET = (Emax + Emin )/2).
(c) Determine a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature as that temperature at which the
impact energy is 50 J.

5-7 Discussions

 What are the main factors affecting on the impact test? And, How?

References:

 ASTM E23- Standard Test Methods for Notched Bar Impact Testing of Metallic
Materials.
 ASM Handbook, "Mechanical Testing and Evaluation", Vol. 8, 2000.
 "Materials Science and Engineering, An Introduction", William D. Callister, Jr., United
States of America, 2007.

Prof. Adnan N. Abood

Asst. Lec. Zainab Waheed
32