Mechanical Engineering Lab

Fall 2017

Lab 5: Impact Toughness

[4600:484:E#5]
Dr. T.S. Srivatsan
TA: Mr. Samuel Adekunle Falola

Alec Drzemiecki
Dan Bologna and Matt Wallace

October 10, 2017

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Abstract:

In this experiment, we completed the impact toughness test on twelve test

specimens and observed the effects of temperature on impact toughness and
mechanism of fracture. The specimens were split equally into two different
materials, 1045 HR Steel and 7075 Aluminum. The results of our tests allow for
us make comparisons about the fracture mechanics of the two materials, and the
ability to locate the brittle-ductile transition region, if one exists. From our impact
test results we could determine that the 7075 aluminum had a much more stable
impact toughness compared to the 1045 HR steel results. The 7075 aluminum
had fracture characteristics across all test temperature and had no clear
transition between ductile and brittle failure modes. Now for the 1045 HR steel,
there was a clear transition temperature were changing from brittle to ductile
failure modes was near a temperature of -25C.

Introduction:

The important of choosing the correct material is crucial in any engineering

application. If there is a scenario where the affect temperature ranges from two
extremes, a ductile material should be used. This material will have a transition
temperature and will remain constant across all the temperatures.

Figure 1: Charpy Impact testing machine

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 The objective of this impact testing experiment is to use the Charpy impact test
machine in figure 1, to examine the impact and failure characteristics of 1045 HR
Steel and 7075 Aluminum over a range of temperatures. The testing machine will
output the amount of energy absorbed by the materials during the impact. We
can then plot those energy reading against our range of temperatures. From
those graphs, we can see statistical trends in each materials strength, and we
can determine if either material has a transition region.

Materials and Experimental Procedures:

Materials:
The following materials used in this lab experiment:
1 Charpy impact test machine
8 v-notched samples of 1045 alloy steel
8 v-notched samples of 7075 aluminum
1 set of tongs
1 oven
1 hot plate
Dry ice
Liquid nitrogen
Water ice

Experimental procedure:
Before beginning the experiment, the twelve samples were heated or cooled
to the desired temperature in the following manner:
Method of Temperature Achieved
Heating/Cooling (C)
Furnace 165
Boiling water 95
Room Temp 23
Dry Ice + Ordinary Ice -30
Dry Ice -50
Liquid Nitrogen -180

Table 1: Summary of heating/cooling methods and the resulting material

temperatures

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 1. Set up the Charpy V-notch Impact test machine
2. Insert a specimen that is already heated to a specific temperature
3. Release the pendulum and record the energy absorbed
4. Repeat the previous steps for both materials at each of the desired
temperatures stated in table 1.

Results:

In Table 2 below, is a summary of our results for the energy absorbed for both
materials and temperature combination that was test in this experiment.

Energy Absorbed (Nm)

Temperature (C) 1045 HR 7075 Aluminum

Steel

165 93.15 25.65

95 71.55 16.2

23 40.5 13.5

-30 12.15 13.5

-50 12.15 13.5

180 10.8 13.5

Table 2: The results taken from the charpy impact test machine and converted
into newton-meters (Nm).

Appendix I and Appendix J are plots of the data summarized by table 2, showing
a comparison of the overall impact strength trends for both materials. Appendix K
and Appendix L Show the individual result plot for the 1045 HR Steel and the
7075 Aluminum impact energies respectively.

Discussion of Results:
Taking a look at our results, it was clear that there was a significant difference in
behavior between the two materials as the temperature increased across our
experimental range given in table 1. For all the data that was taken for the 7075
aluminum, almost all of the was nearly the same. Except at the max temperature
where we could assume this as an outlier in our results. In Appendix L it showed
that the energy absorbed remained constant for almost all of the experiment and
there was no signs of a transition temperature. In addiction appendix A confirms

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 that all the aluminum specimens had ductile fractures. Then in appendix B the
1045 HR Steel showed low impact toughness with very little variation up until
-25C, and then beyond that transition temperature the energy absorbed
increased strongly with respect to the increasing temperature.

Conclusion:

The material that was tested on the charpy impact toughness clearly showed a
clear temperature-dependent difference in failure behavior and strength. The
1045 HR Steel had a brittle region at temperatures lower then -25C. When that
same 1045 HR Steel material had a temperature higher then -25C the material
showed failure patterns that were ductile. For the aluminum specimens, they
showed almost no variance in strength across the range of test temperatures.
The 7075 Aluminum showed ductile failure across on every tested specimen. A
final conclusion from our data would be that the highly dictule 7075 Aluminum
would be a better material for any application involving high variations in
temperature.

References:
1. Dr. Srivatsan, T.S. University of Akron 4600:484 Experiment Lab # 5
INVESTIGATING and UNDERSTANDING THE INFLUENCE OF
TEMPERATURE on IMPACT TOUGHNESS RESPONSE and FRACTURE
BEHAVIOR of TWO HIGH STRENGTH METAL ALLOYS

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Appendices:
Appendix A: 7075 Aluminum fracture characteristics across the range of test
temps

Appendix B: 1045 HR Steel fracture characteristics across the range of test temp

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Appendix C: Comparing both materials at the test temp of 165C

Appendix D: Comparing both materials at the test temp of 95C

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Appendix E: Comparing both materials at the test temp of 23C

Appendix F: Comparing both materials at the test temp of -30C

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Appendix G: Comparing both materials at the test temp of -50C

Appendix H: Comparing both materials at the test temp of -180C

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Appendix I: Plot of energy absorbed during the impact test with respect the
temperature of the material.

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Appendix J: Bar graph comparison of the 1045 HR Steel and 7075 Aluminum at
each of the test temperatures

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Appendix K: Plot of energy absorbed during the impact for 1045 HR Steel with
critical temperature tangent lines drawn

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Appendix L: Plot of energy absorbed during the impact for 7075 Aluminum with
linear regression line

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