IMPACT TEST ON METAL SPECIMEN

1. Objective
To study the impact resistance of metal using charpy impact test machine

2. Specimen and Equipment

Charpy testing machine

Charpy thong
Vernier callipers
Induction furnace
Liquid nitrogen for cooling
Impact specimens
Mild steel (V notch)
Aluminium (V notch)

3. Machine Specification:

Model: Tinious colsen

Maximum impact energy(capacity): 408.98 J
Total windage and frictional loss: 1.568 J
Drop Height:1.525m
Hammer weight: 267.2 N
Impact radius: 900.099 mm

4. Theory
Impact test is a test used in studying the toughness of material.
Toughness is defined as the capacity of material to absorb energy and deform plastically
before fracturing. Toughness is associated with both ductility and strength of materials.
We are used the most commonmethod for the measurement of impact strength,
that is Charpy tests.
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In Charpy test, the specimen is fixed in horizontal position . The pendulum

strikes the impact specimen on the unnotched face. The Charpy impacts
pecimen is square in cross-section with V-notch. Because the Charpy impact
specimen does not have to be clamped in position, it is much easier to test
specimens at temperature other than room temperature using this method. The
Charpy impact test can be used to assess the relative toughness of different
materials. It is used as a tool for materials selection in design. It may also be
used for quality control, to ensure that the material being produced reaches a
minimum specified toughness level.

5. Procedure
1) The machine is calibrated by releasing it from the extreme position and
noting the reading on the indicator unit.
2) The dimensions of the notched length and the thickness of the specimen
are measured.
3) The pendulum is raised to the left until it indicates the maximum energy
range on the upper indicator unit.
4) The specimen is placed horizontally across supports with the notch away
from the pendulum.
5) Pendulum is released which breaks the test specimen.
6) The indicated value from the indicator unit is recorded.
7) The brake is applied until the pendulum has returned to its stable hanging
vertical position.
8) The specimen is removed from the testing area and failure surface is
observed.
9) Mild steel is heated using an induction furnace and cooled using liquid
nitrogen. The specimen temperatures are noted using a thermocouple.

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6. Observation and Calculation

1. Calibration=1.7132 J
2. Total loss of energy= 16.55 J
3. Average energy loss= 1.056 J
Specimen

Temperature(oc)

Energy absorbed(J)

Modulus of
Toughness (J/mm3)

Aluminium

30

142.94

0.0238

Mild steel

30

142.94

0.0238

Mild steel

-53

2.9212

0.000486

Mild steel

-65

2.6411

0.00044

Mild steel

55

212.78

0.0354

Mild steel

70

198.23

0.033

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7. Inference
Due to change in temperature toughness of specimen changes. Higher
temperature leads to higher ductility and toughness whereas lower
temperature makes it brittle. These phenomena observed due to changes
in crystal structure due to temperature.
As temperature changes the grain size are also decreases. Due to the
decrease in the temperature material undergoes brittle failure and grain
structure changes to fine grain.
As the temperature increases material undergoes ductile failure, grain
structure changes to coarse grain and crater is also found.
Due to the cooling as material grain size decrease and this is uniform
throughout the work piece. So the time taken by the work piece is
opposite to hitting hammer and exactly reverse phenomena is observed
during the ductile failure.
From above figure 4 it is seen that at room temperature the grain structure
is in between that of ductile and brittle failure.

8. Conclusion
As the temperature changes, toughness vary in wide range so it is
required to pre check material property before using that for any design.
At cold temperature material fail due to sudden failure i.e. fail very
quickly while it takes time to tear at the notch side at elevated
temperature.

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