Mechanical Properties:

fundamentals and Tensile,

Hardness and Impact Testing
-4-
 Outcomes and Expectations

Learn the concept of impact fracture

testing techniques and the basic
principles of fractography
 Impact, Failure and Fracture

failure of engineering materials is an undesirable

occurrence!
can lead to loss of human life
economic losses
prevention is through good design and materials
selection
Types of Failure
most fundamental are ductile and brittle
also have impact, fatigue and creep rupture
fracture involves crack initiation and propagation
under an applied stress
cracks may exist but are stable and do not
propagate under the particular loading conditions
LIBERTY SHIP
 Fracture during tensile testing
ductile brittle
as a crack propagates,
substantial plastic
deformation occurs with
absorption of energy
(energy of fracture)
highly ductile materials
plastic deform under load
to a point fracture:
metals: gold and lead at
room temperature
polymers and glasses at
high temperature
 Cup and Cone Fracture

more common is cup and cone

ductile fracture
necking due to local plastic
instability
microvoid formation (fracture
initiation)
microvoid coalescence
final shear failure forming
shear lips
formation of classical
dimples on fracture surface
equiaxed dimples
elongated in shear region
 Fractography
Cup & cone brittle
 Fractography
Cup & cone brittle

Equiaxed Elongated
dimples due to shear
 Brittle Fracture
no plastic deformation prior to
crack initiation
crack initiates at a defect or
flaw
fracture propagates
perpendicular to load
application
fracture surface has
characteristic pattern
steel plates contains chevrons
which point back to fracture
origin
alternatively, have radial
ridges emanating from
fracture origin
or very smooth surface as in
glasses or ceramics
 Brittle Failure

brittle fracture mode is by breaking of

atomic bonds along particular
crystallographic planes
cleavage and transgranular as it passes
through the grains of the material
intergranular or along grain boundaries due
to weakening or embrittlement
 QUANTIFICATION OF RESISTANCE TO
FRACTURE

STRESS Toughness
- ability of material to
absorb energy without
fracture

for low strain rate

(static) conditions

STRAIN f

Static Energy to fracture / unit vol d

toughness 0

require high strength and ductility

Relation to the stress-strain curve

People relate the

impact toughness to
the area within the
true stress- true
strain curve,

BUT ITS NOT

ALWAYS TRUE!
(high strain rate)
 IMPACT TOUGHNESS
developed to account for high loading rates (strain rates)
low temperature
Real life
triaxial stress state (notch)

energy absorbed =f (H-h)

Ductile to brittle transition
temperature (DBTT)

Temperature
at which a
material
change from
ductile to
brittle
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
TOUGHNESS
impact
static some
metals

all
metals

TEMP
Ductile-brittle
Not realistic transition The lower
temperature the better
DBTT
Effect of Crystal structure on
DBTT

BCC structure
FCC vs BCC
(steel with %C)
 Suggested lectures

Callister (7th edidion)

Section 8.2 8.4; 8.6
Question 1)
Problem
The following data were obtained from a series of Charpy impact tests performed on four steels, each having a
different manganese content. Plot the data and determine
The transition temperature (defined by the mean of the absorbed energies in the ductile and brittle
region)
ANSWER: 19 C, 9 C, -1.4 C and -12 C

The transition temperature (defined as the temperature that provides 50J of absorbed energy)
ANSWER: 15 C, -5 C, -15 C and -45 C

Plot the transition temperatur5e versus manganese content and discuss the effect of Mn on the
toughness of steel.
What would be the minimum Mn allowed in the steel if a part is to be used at 0 oC.
ANSWER:
Question 2)
Problem
The following data were obtained from a series of Charpy impact tests performed on four ductile irons, each
having a different silicon content. Plot the data and determine
The transition temperature (defined by the mean of the absorbed energies in the ductile and brittle
region)
ANSWER: 22.5 C, 26.5 C, 36.5 C and 50 C

The transition temperature (defined as the temperature that provides 10J of absorbed energy)
ANSWER: 15 C, 25 C, 38 C and 56 C

Plot the transition temperature versus silicon content and discuss the effect of Si on the toughness
of cast
iron.
What would be the Maximum Si allowed in the cast iron if a part is to be used at 25 oC.
ANSWER: 2.9% Si
 Problem
Question 3)
FCC metals are often recommended for use at low temperatures, particularly when any
sudden loading of the part is expected. Explain.

Question 4)
A steel part can be made by powder metallurgy (compacting iron powder particles and
sintering to produce a solid) or by machining from a solid steel block. Which part is
expected to have the higher toughness? Explain.

Question 5)
A number of Al-Si alloys have a structure that includes sharp-edged plates of brittle
silicon in the softer, more ductile aluminum matrix. Would you expect these alloys to
be notch-sensitive in an impact test? Would you expect these alloys to have good
toughness? Explain.