ASTM E 112

STANDARD TEST METHOD FOR

DETERMINING AVERAGE GRAIN
SIZE

TERMINOLOGIES

Grain : The area within the confines of the original

boundary observed on the 2-dimensional plane of polish or
that volume enclosed by the original boundary in the 3dimensional object.

ASTM

grain size number : the ASTM grain size number,

G, is defined as :
NAE = 2G-1
where NAE is the number of grains per square inch at 100X
magnification.

Grain

boundary intersection count : Determination of

the number of times a test line cuts across, or is tangent
to, grain boundaries.

Grain intercept count : determination of the number of

times a test line cuts through individual grains on the plane
of polish.

Intercept length : The distance between two opposed,

adjacent grain boundary intersection points on a test line
segment that crosses the grain at any location due to
random placement of the test line.

Grain boundary intersection count

Grains in steel at 100x magnification

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE

These test methods cover procedures for estimating and

rules for expressing the average grain size of all metals,
consisting entirely , or principally, of a single phase.

In the metallographic laboratory, analyzing grains in

metallic and alloy samples is important for quality-control.
Most metals are crystalline in nature and contain internal
boundaries, commonly known as "grain boundaries".

When a metal or alloy is processed, the atoms within each

growing grain are lined up in a specific pattern, depending
on the crystal structure of sample. With growth, each grain
will eventually impact others and form an interface where
the atomic orientations differ.

It has been established that the mechanical properties of

the sample improve as the grain size decreases.

Therefore, alloy composition and processing must be

carefully controlled to obtain the desired grain size.

After metallographic sample preparation, grains in a

specific alloy are often analyzed via microscopy, where the
size and distribution of these grains can demonstrate the
integrity and quality of the sample

Generalities of Application

It is important using that methods, to recognize

estimation of average grain size is not a precise
measurement. Metal structure is an aggregate of 3-D
crystal of varying size and shapes.

The size and location of grains in a microstructure are

normally completely random. No nominally random
process of positioning a test pattern can improve the
randomness, but random process can yield poor
representation by concentrating measurement parts of
specimen.

Sampling

Specimen should be selected to represent average

condition within a heat lot, treatment lot, or to assess
variation anticipated across or along a product or
component , depending on nature of material being tested
and purpose to study.

Specimen should not be taken from areas affected by

shearing, burning, or other processes that will alter the
grain structure.

Test Specimens

If the grain structure is equiaxed then any specimen

orientation is acceptable. The presence of equiaxed grain
structure in wrought specimen can only determined by
examination of a plane of polish parallel to the deformation
axis.

If the grain structure on longitudinal oriented specimen is

equaixed, then grain size measurement on this plane or
other will be equivalent within the statistical precision of
test method.

If the grain structure is not equaixed but elongated, then

grain size measurements on specimen with different
orientation will vary. In this case grain size should be
evaluated on atleast two of three principle planes.

The surface to be polished should be large enough in area

to permit measurement of at least five field at the desired
magnification. In most cases, except for thin sheet or wire
specimens, a minimum polished surface area of 160 mm
square is adequate.

The specimen shall be sectioned, mounted, ground, and

polished according to the recommended procedure. The
specimen shall be etched using a reagent, as given in
practice E 407, to delineate most, or all of the grain
boundaries

Calibration

Use a stage micrometer to determine the true linear

magnification for each objective, eyepiece and bellows or
zoom setting to be used within error of 2%.

Use a ruler with a millimeter scale to determine the actual

length of straight test lines or the diameter of test circles
used as grids.

Preparation of Photomicrographs
When

photomicrographs are used for estimating

the average grain size, they shall be prepared in
accordance with Guide E 883.

Methods of grain size measurement

COMPARISON METHOD

In former times, and even still in practice today, most

laboratories would analyze grains via the "Chart
Comparison" method.

Here, operators perform a visual estimation of the grain

size by comparing a live image under an optical microscope
to a micrograph chart, often posted on the wall near the
microscope.

 Comparison of the grain structure to a series of graded

images
Wall chart
Clear plastic overlays
An eyepiece reticle.

The following chart was used to make

this image
METHODS FOR DETERMINING
THE AVERAGE GRAIN SIZE
ASTM METHODS E 112
PCN 12-501 120-10
Plate 1B
Untwinned Grains
100X

 Repeatability and reproducibility of 1 grain size number.

Specimens consisting of equiaxed grains.

To minimize errors, the comparison charts are presented in

four categories as below :

Plate
Plate
Plate
Plate

IUntwinned grains (flat etch).

IITwinned grains (flat etch)
IIITwinned grains (contrast etch)
IVAustenite grains in steel

Examples of Grain size standards

from Plates I, II, III, IV

Untwinned Grains(Flat Etch) from

Plate I. Grain size no. 3 at 100x

Twin Grains(Flat Etch) from

Plte II. Grain size no.3 at 100x

Twin Grains(Contrast Etch)

from Plate III. Grain size
0.090 mm at 75X

Austenite Grains in steel from

Plate IV. Grain size no. 3 at
100X

The table below lists a number of materials and the

comparison charts that are suggested for use in estimating
theis average grain sizes.

The estimation of microscopically determined grain size

should be made by direct comparison at the same
magnification as the appropriate chart.

The photomicrograph of the test specimen is compared

with the photomicrographs of the standard chart, and the
photomicrograph which most nearly matches the specimen
image is selected.

This estimated grain size is reported as the ASTM grain size

number.

PLANIMETRIC PROCEDURE
Involves an actual count of the number of grains within a
known area.
Number of grains per unit area, NA, is used to determine
the ASTM grain size number, G.
Repeatability and reproducibility of 0.25 grain size units
Require marking off of the grains as they are counted.

PROCEDURE
o
o
o
o

Inscribe a circle or rectangle of known area on a micrograph

or on the ground glass screen of the metallograph.
Select a magnification which will give at least 50 grains in the
field.
When the image is focussed properly, count the number of
grains within this area.
Therefore, the number of grains per square millimeter at 1X,
NA ,is calculated from

Where,
Ninside = No. of grains included completely within the known area
Nintercepted = No. of grains intersected by the circumference of the area
f = Jeffries multiplier

Relationship Between Magnification Used and Jeffries

Multiplier, f, for an Area of 5000 mm2 (f= 0.0002 M2)

The ASTM grain size number, G, can be calculated from NA from

GENERAL INTERCEPT METHOD

Actual count of the number of
grains intercepted
grain boundary, per unit length of test line
Lineal intercept length, used to determine the ASTM grain
size number, G.
Repeatability and reproducibility are less than 0.5 grain
size units.
Faster than the planimetric method for the same level of
precision.
Recommended for structures that depart from the uniform
equiaxed form

ASTM No. 0 has a mean intercept

size of 32.00 at 100X.
lo = 32.00mm

 Heyn

Lineal Intercept Procedure

The number of grains intercepted by one or more

straight lines sufficiently long to yield at least 50
intercepts.
The precision of grain size estimates by this method is a
function of number of grain intercepts counted(hence,
either a longer test line or a smaller magnification is
used).
Either intercept or intersection may be counted.

 When counting intercepts, segments at the end of a test

line which penetrate into the grain are considered half
intercepts.
When counting intersections, the end points of a test line
are not counted as intersections, except when it exactly
touches a grain boundary( intersection).
A tangential intersection is considered as 1 intersection.
An intersection coinciding at the junction of 3 grains is
considered 1.
In case of non-equiaxed grains, test lines require
averaging of values made at variety of orientation.

 Circular

Intercept Method

Automatically compensate for departures from equiaxed

grain shapes
Ambiguous intersections at ends of test lines are
eliminated.
Most suitable for use as fixed routine manual procedures
for grain size estimation in quality control.
There are 2 circular intercept methods:
Hilliard Single-Circle Procedure
Abrams Three-Circle Procedure

Hilliard

Single Circle Procedure

Any circle size of known circumference may be used.

Circumferences of 100,200, or 50 are usually convenient.
The test circle diameter should never be smaller than the
largest observed grain.
A small reference mark is usually placed at the top of the
circle to indicate the place to start and stop the count.
Apply the selected circle to the microscopic image at a
convenient magnification and count the intersections of
the circle with grain boundaries.
The precision of the measurement increases as the
number of counts increases.

Abrams

Three-Circle Procedure

The test pattern consists of three concentric and equally

spaced circles having a total circumference of 500mm
Successively apply this pattern to at least 5 blindly
selected and widely spaced fields, separately recording
the count of intersections per pattern for each of the
tests.
Examine the grain structure and select a magnification
that will yield 40-100 intercepts or intersections.
For most grain structures, a total count of 400-500
intercepts over 5-10 fields produce better than 10%
relative accuracy.

 After applying the test circles, the total grain boundary

intersections are counted by a manually operated
counter.
For each field count, calculate NL or PL according to:

where Ni and Pi are the number of intercepts or

intersections counted on the field, L is the total test line
length(500mm) and M is the magnification.

Statistical Analysis

No determination of average grain size can be an exact

measurement.

Thus, no determination is complete without also calculating

the precision within which the determined size may, with
normal confidence, be considered to represent the actual
average grain size of the specimen examined.

It is assumed that the normal confidence to represent the

expectation that the actual error will be within the stated
uncertainty 95% of the time.

Many specimens vary measurably in grain size from one

field of view to another, this variation being responsible for
a major portion of the uncertainty.

So, after the desired number of fields have been

measured, mean value of NA or l from the individual field
values is calculated according to

Next, standard deviation of individual measurements is

calculated.

Then, calculate 95% confidence interval, of each

measurement according to :

Table listing values of t as a function of n

Specimens with non-equiaxed

Grain shapes

If the grain size was altered by processing so that the

grains are no longer equiaxed in shape, grain size should
be made on longitudinal(l), transverse(t), and planar(p)
oriented surfaces for rectangular bar, plate or sheet type
materials.

For round bars, radial longitudinal and transverse sections

are used.

If directed test lines are used for the analysis,

measurements in the 3 principal directions can be made
using only two of the three principal test planes.

Planimetric

Method :

When the grain shape is not equiaxed but elongated,

make grain counts on each of the three principal planes,
i.e., longitudinal, transverse and planar oriented surfaces.
Determine the number of grains per mm2 at 1X on the
three planes, NAl , NAt , NAp , and calculate the mean
number of grains per unit area NA from :

Intercept

Method:

For the case of randomly determined values of PL or NL on

the three principal planes, compute the average value
according to :

or

Alternatively, calculate ll , lt , lp from the PL or NL values on

each plane.

Additional information on grain shape may be obtained by

determining lparallel(0) and perpendicular(90) to the
deformation axis on a longitudinally oriented surface. The
grain elongation ratio or anisotropy index, AI, can be
determined from,

The mean value of l for the measurements in the three

principal test directions is obtained by averaging the
directed NL or PL values and then computing l from this
mean value; or by calculating directed l values in each of
the principal directions and then averaging them

Report

The test report should document all of the pertinent

identifying information regarding the specimen, its
composition, specification designation or trade name, date
of test, heat treatment or processing history, specimen
location and orientation, etchant and etch method, grain
size analysis method, etc, as required.

List the number of fields measured, the magnification, and

field area. The number of grains counted or the number of
intercepts or intersections counted, may also be recorded

A photomicrograph illustrating the typical appearance of the

grain structure may be provided

List the mean measurement value, its standard deviation,

95% confidence interval, percent relative accuracy, and the
ASTM grain size number.

Precision and Bias

The precision and bias of grain size measurements depend

on the representativeness of the specimens selected and
the areas on the plane of polish chosen for measurement.

The relative accuracy of the grain size measurement

improves as the number of specimen taken from the
product increases.

The relative accuracy improves as the number of fields

sampled and the number of grains or intercepts counted
increase.

Bias in measurements will occur if specimen preparation is

inadequate. The true structure must be revealed and the
grain boundaries must be fully delineated for best precision
and freedom from bias.

In accurate determination of the magnification of the grain

structure will produce bias.

If the grain structure is not equiaxed in shape,

measurement of the grain size on only one plane will bias
test results.

When using the comparison chart method, the chart

selected should be consistent with the nature of the
grains(i.e. twinned or untwinned, or carburized and slow
cooled) and the etch(flat etch or contrast etch) for best
precision.

THANK YOU!