Derivation of Material Properties Using Small Punch and Shear Punch Test Methods

The Small Punch (SP) and Shear Punch (ShP) tests are established mechanical test approaches that have found application in several industrial sectors for material ranking and mechanical property estimation, particularly where more conventional test approaches are inhibited such as when attempting to sample localised regions or where an insufficient quantity of material is available. However, despite the advantages that the two test methodologies have to offer, the main drawback is the complex understanding of the mechanical data generated from the experiments and how it can be correlated to more recognised properties. Typically, the most desired properties relate to uniaxial equivalents, but to date, there is no single robust and overarching approach for correlating such properties for a wide array of metallic materials. This paper will for the first time directly compare the properties obtained from a series of uniaxial tensile, SP and ShP tests across several metallic materials, and look to correlate equivalent yield, strength and ductility properties across the test types. The generated results, empirical relationships and numerical simulations will inform which materials can be correlated across the different test regimes, and identify the reasons why the relationship in certain materials breaks down