Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

Title: Hardness Test

Objective:
To determine the hardness of three kinds of steel which is mild steel, carbon steel and ASSAB
steel (Associated Swedish Steels AB). These materials are tested in four ways:

Vickers Hardness Test

Rockwell Hardness Test
Brinell Hardness Test
Charpy Impact Test

Introduction:
Hardness is the properties of a material to resist from being bent or dent when a steel ball or a
pyramid indenter with a load is applied on it.
Hardness is the property of a material that enables it to resist plastic deformation, usually
by penetration. However, the term hardness may also refer to resistance to bending, scratching,
abrasion or cutting. The usual method to achieve a hardness value is to measure the depth or area
of an indentation left by an indenter of a specific shape, with a specific force applied for a
specific time.
There are three principal standard test methods for expressing the relationship between
hardness and the size of the impression, these being Vickers Hardness Test, Rockwell Hardness
Test and Brinell Hardness Test. For practical and calibration reasons, each of these methods is
divided into a range of scales, defined by a combination of applied load and indenter geometry.
Hardness is not an intrinsic material property dictated by precise definitions in terms of
fundamental units of mass, length and time. A hardness property value is the result of a defined
measurement procedure.
As well as the hardness tests, the Charpy Impact Test will provide information on the
resistance of the specimens, mild steel and medium carbon steel to a sudden fracture where a
sharp stress raiser is present.
a) Vickers Hardness Test (BS 427: 1961.)
In this experiment a diamond 136 pyramid on a square base is indented into the surface
of the metal by a specific load (usually 5kgf until 120kgf). This process is done for a
period of time (15 seconds) and then the load is released. The corners of the square indent
on the surface of the steel are measured.

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

d2

d1

In order to obtain the hardness value:

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

b) Rockwell Hardness Test (BS 891 : 1962)

This method is formed by two main scales:
I.
II.

Scale B, the notch is a steel ball (1.588mm diameter) and the load applied is
100kgf
Scale C, the notch is a diamond shape cone with angel 120 and load 150kgf

Firstly, a small load (10kgf) is applied and the count is adjusted to zero. Then a load
(90kgf for scale B, 140kgf for scale C) is added to gain a dent, d.

d = the depth of the dent

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

c) Brinell Hardness Test

In this test, a spherical harden mild steel with suitable diameter, D is forces into the surface
of the specimen under certain load and period to obtain a shape of indented with diameter, d.
Brinell Hardness Number (BHN) is defined as follow:

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

d) Charpy Impact Test

The Charpy Impact Test measures the energy absorbed by the high strain rate fracture of
a standard notched specimen. The specimen is broken by the impact of a heavy pendulum
hammer, falling through a fixed distance (constant potential energy) to strike the specimen at a
fixed velocity (constant kinetic energy). Tough materials absorb a lot of energy when fractured
and brittle materials absorb very little energy.

The impact energy measured by the Charpy test is the work done to fracture the specimen.
On impact, the specimen deforms elastically until yielding takes place (plastic deformation), and
a plastic zone develops at the notch. As the test specimen continues to be deformed by the impact,
the plastic zone work hardens. This increases the stress and strain in the plastic zone until the
specimen fractures.

The Charpy impact energy therefore includes the elastic strain energy, the plastic work
done during yielding and the work done to create the fracture surface. The elastic energy is
usually not a significant fraction of the total energy, which is dominated by the plastic work. The
total impact energy depends on the size of the test specimen, and a standard specimen size is
used to allow comparison between different materials.

The Charpy test involves striking a suitable test piece with a striker, mounted at the end
of a pendulum. The test piece is fixed in place at both ends and the striker impacts the test piece
immediately behind a machined notch.

Figure (a) : Schematic of the Charpy Impact Test

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

Apparartus:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)

Vickers micro hardness machine

Rockwell hardness machine
Brinell hardness machine
Microscope
Log book
Charpy impact test machine
Specimen: ( mild steel, carbon steel, ASSAB steel)

Procedure:
A. Vickers Hardness Test
1. The applied load for this test is 10 kgf.
2. The specimen is placed directly below the indenter on the anvil.
3. Specimen is focused until the line on the surface of the specimen is visually clear
through the microscope.
4. Then the microscope is switched to the indenter mode.
5. The ON button is pressed and the indicator of the machine will glow.
6. After the process, the indenter is switched back to microscope mode.
7. The length of the cross-sectional lines, d1 and d2 were measured and Vickers
Hardness Number was recorded as shown on the machine.

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

8. Steps (1) to (7) were repeated twice, using different surface on the same specimen.
9. Step (1) (8) were repeated using different specimen
B. Rockwell Hardness Test
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

The specimen is placed directly below the indenter on the anvil.

Specimen was placed on the hand wheel.
START button is pressed to activate the test.
Rockwell Hardness Number was written down as shown on the machine.
Steps from (1) to (4) were repeated twice, using different surface on the same
specimen.
6) Steps (1) to (5) were repeated using different specimen
C. Brinell Hardness Test
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

The specimen is placed directly below the indenter on the anvil.

The anvil is rotated slowly until the indenter touches the surface of the specimen.
The screw above the machine is tightened to prevent the air pumped to be lost.
The lever on the right was used to pump air until the scale reading reaches 1000
kgf. This load is maintained for 15 seconds.
After that, the screw was loosened.
The specimen is placed under a special microscope to measure the diameter of the
resulting indention.
Brinell Hardness Number of the specimen can be determined according to the log
book.
Steps (1) to (7) were repeated twice, using different surface on the same specimen.
Steps (1) to (8) were repeated using different specimen.

D. Charpy Impact Test

1)
2)
3)
4)

The specimens used for this test are mild steel and carbon steel.
Specimen is placed in the vice at the base of the machine.
The machine is activated.
The specimen was removed from the vice after the weighted pendulum hammer
has swung to the specimen.
5) The value of the Charpy energy as shown on the machine was recorded.
6) The condition of the metal was noted.

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

Results:
A) Vickers Hardness Test (BS 427 : 1961)
Carbon Steel

Reading
(m)
Reading
(m)

1,

First reading
d1 245.40

Second Reading
290.50

Third Reading
319.60

Average
285.17

2,

d2 250.10

304.50

320.30

291.63

Second Reading
392.50

Third Reading
381.00

Average
385.73

384.70

383.50

384.90

Mild Steel

Reading
(m)
Reading
(m)

First reading
383.70

1,

d1

2,

d2 386.50

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

B) Rockwells Hardness Test

HRC

Specimen

Carbon Steel

ASSAB steel

Reading 1

28.8

57.4

Reading 2

26.6

57.4

Reading 3

27.1

57.1

Average

27.5

57.3

C) Brinell Hardness Test

Load, P = 1000kgf
Diameter, D = 10mm

Carbon Steel
Diameter of dent, d (mm)

BHN

Reading 1

2.65

178

Reading 2

2.70

171

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Chin Wei Ken

Reading 3

KEM100007

Group M2

2.80

159

Diameter of dent, d (mm)

BHN

Reading 1

3.50

101

Reading 2

3.40

107

Reading 3

3.50

101

Mild Steel

D) Charpy Impact Test

Carbon Steel

Energy: 26J

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

Mild Steel

Energy: 299J

Discussion:
1. Hardness compatibility
a. Vickers Hardness Test
VHN of Carbon Steel > VHN of Mild Steel
b. Rockwells Hardness Test
HRC of ASSAB Steel>HRC of Carbon Steel
c. Brinell Hardness Test
BHN of Carbon Steel>BHN of Mild Steel
2. ASSAB steel is the hardest steel followed by carbon steel and then the softest is mild
steel.
3. ASSAB grade steel is a metal used in machinery items so its composition is made to have
high strength.

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Chin Wei Ken

KEM100007

Group M2

4. Carbon steel has carbon content in the range of 0.301.70% by weight and also traces of
elements to strengthen the metal. It also had undergone heat-treatment.
5. Mild steel contains 0.160.29% of carbon content. So it is weaker, but its strength can be
increase by carburizing the material.
6. The value of a specimen may be slightly different because it not totally homogeneous.
7. The composites at different parts of the specimen vary so the hardness on the specimen is
slightly different at different region.
8.

Metals have crystalline imperfections, so it will cause the hardness to be inconsistent.

9. Mild steel is not broken completely but carbon steel is broken perfectly.
10. This shows that mild steel has higher ductility than carbon steel. The high percentage of
carbon in carbon steel minimize energy from the impact.
11. Mild steel has higher plastic deformation than carbon steel.
12. Carbon steel is completely broken into two separate pieces. The surface appears to be
granular fracture with large shining facets or shiny texture.

Conclusion:
a. ASSAB grade is the hardest, next is carbon steel and the weakest is mild steel.
b. Mild steel is more ductile than carbon steel.

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_hardness_test

Hardness Testing, ASM International (Author)ASM International; 2 Sub edition

(December 15, 1999)

http://www.gordonengland.co.uk/hardness/

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