Drop Weight Test/Dynamic Tear Test

ASTM E 436; E 604 & American Petroleum Institute

(API) -5L
Application Report


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Introduction
Drop weight and dynamic tear tests are widely used in the steel industry
to determine material characteristics such as fracture resistance,
transition temperature ranges and suitability of use of a steel for a
specific application. During these tests the specimens are cooled or
heated over a range of temperatures in order to determine the highest
temperatures at which the sample fractures. Below this Nil-Ductility
Transition temperature the material will consistently fracture, but above
the material does not.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) 5L test standard is used to
determine the fracture ductility of metal line pipe. Specimens are cut
from sections of pipe, soaked at a prescribed temperature and tested
within 10 seconds. ASTM E 436, similar to API-5L, is used to establish
the temperature range over which ferritic steels undergo a fracture mode
transition from ductile to brittle. In both standards a determination
regarding ductile to brittle behavior is based upon visual inspection of
the specimens in conjunction with, at times, a calculation to determine
the percentage of shear seen the materials fracture.

Dynamic tear tests, executed according to ASTM E 604, provide a
measurement of the amount of energy absorbed during the fracture
process of a pre-cracked specimen. The objective of the test is similar
to the tests outlined above; however, the measurement of energy
eliminates some of the subjectivity of the other tests. With an actual
numerical output from the test, levels of acceptance specified by the end
users of the steels in critical applications can be defined.



Test Configuration and Procedure
An Instron

Dynatup

Model 8150 Drop Weight Impact System,

instrumented with a Model 8340, 1,000 kN tup, 1-inch radius (for ASTM
E 436 and API-5L) or 0.5-inch radius (for ASTM E 604) tup insert and
Impulse Data Acquisition system were used to perform tests per the
standards. Fixtures designed in accordance to the test standards were
used to support the specimens. See Figure 1 for an example of test setup
and configuration. All specimens were tested at room temperature.

Each specimen was centered on the anvils with the point of impact being
directly above the cut notch. Crosshead weight was maximized to ensure
sufficient energy to break the specimens with a single impact.




Figure 1:
Model 8150 Drop Weight Impact System

Drop Weight Test/Dynamic Tear Tests
Application Report

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AR_DropWeightTearTests_Rev2_0907
Figure 2:
ASTM E436/API-5L test setup
Results*
Figure 3 shows a plot of Load and Energy vs. Time for two 5/8-inch
thick steel specimens tested under the same test conditions. As seen in
the numerical test results and the data curves there was a significant
difference in how a similar material reacted to the impact event.



Figure 3:
Load and energy test results for steel specimens tested per E 436/API-5L

Figure 4 shows a comparison of test data between three -inch thick
steel specimens tested per ASTM E 604. All three were tested under the
same conditions and as with the specimens tested per ASTM E 436, all
three specimens show different results to the same impact event.
















* Contact Instron

for a detailed test report with additional results.

Figure 4:
Load test results for steel specimens tested per E 604

Conclusions and Recommendations
The Model 8150 impact testing system is well suited for providing both a
simple uninstrumented test, as well as a fully-instrumented testing
system. The impact resistance information gathered by doing
instrumented testing can be used by Research and Development to
evaluate the effects of metallurgical variables such as composition,
processing, heat treatment can have on the dynamic fracture resistance
of new or existing materials. Test results may also be used to indicate
particular steels suitability for use in a specific application.

Configuration Table

Catalog
Number:
Configuration
Options:
Description:
S2-16457 Frame
Dynatup

Model 8150 Impact

Testing System
7810-213 Frame 8150 Optional Weight Set
7900-138 Tup Model 8340 Instrumented
7910-512 Tup Insert
25.4mm (1 in.) Radius Tup
Insert for ASTM E 436;
ASTM E 208 & API-5L
7800-052 Fixture
Dynamic Tear Fixture for
ASTM E 436 & API-5L
7910-511 Tup Insert
12.7 mm (0.5 in.) Radius Tup
Insert for ASTM E 604
7800-054 Fixture
Dynamic Tear Test Fixture for
ASTM E 604
7000-710
Data
Acquisition
Dynatup Impulse Data
Acquisition System
*Customer
Supplied-
Environmental
Chamber
Chiller large enough to handle
specimens