Abstract
The current paper deals with the ability of the Small Punch Test [SPT] to detect material behaviour changes. The authors investigated two experimental materials with a range of mechanical properties. The different material properties of the experimental materials were obtained by heat treatment, simulating material property changes due to service conditions. The ability of SPT to detect such changes was investigated on the basis of tensile and fracture toughness properties. In order to be able to perform such an investigation, standard tensile tests and fracture toughness tests were performed for reference. A wide range of tensile strengths, ranging from 700 to 2000 MPa, and fracture toughness values covering the brittle-to-ductile region from 90 to 350 MPa.m0,5 were utilized for the method sensitivity assessment. The results of standard tests are compared with SPT results and their applicability is evaluated.
