Indentation-Energy-to-Fracture (IEF) parameter for characterization of DBTT in carbon steels using nondestructive Automated Ball Indentation (ABI) technique

The ABI technique is an excellent nondestructive tool for characterizing the key mechanical properties of metallic materials. In addition, this technique is shown to yield a fracture parameter, IEF, which can be used to monitor the DBTT of carbon steels (BCC materials). Further work is needed to incorporate the critical fracture strain model for a quantitative description of the ductile upper shelf regime. In addition, we are developing an IEF-index to replace the commonly used 41-J Charpy impact energy index so that ABI technique and its IEF-concept can stand alone and give information nondestructively on the fracture characteristics and the DBTT of carbon steels.