In general, there is no single specific criteria for defining a transition temperature; various definitions are used:
brittle
ductile
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 5050% cleavage and fibrous. This can alternativey be based upon the mean of the upper and lower shelf energies.
NDT
FATT
FTP
Fracture Surface Appearance vs. Temperature
(Fahrenheit)
brittle
bright appearance, cleavage failure
ductile
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 Cubased alloys)
BCC/HCP structures do exhibit DBT
characteristics
ME124 Test Data from Spring 2000
ME124 Charpy Impact Test Data - Spr 2000 160 C1081 Steel 140