Correlation of tensile properties of pressure vessel steels by shear punch and small punch test methods

A shear punch test is a very useful small specimen test method for evaluating the mechanical properties of in-service components, in view of the requirements of small size sample material. Typically disks of nominal size 10 mm diameter, having a thickness of 0.5 mm or less is used to extract the tensile properties through measurement of load-displacement responses. This paper presents the results of shear punch tests on pressure vessel steels and its correlation with yield stress and ultimate tensile stress obtained using ASTM standard specimens. Small punch test is similar to shear punch test, except that the indenter is spherical in shape, and as a consequence the material under the punch will be subjected to biaxial state of stress. The tensile response of materials derived by small punch test is correlated with standard tensile tests. Copyright © 2012 by ASME.