Application of Nil Ductility Temperature and Charpy V-Notch Testing to Design and Quality Control of High Strength, Low Alloy Steel

The importance of notch toughness is gaining rapid recognition by the construction equipment industry. The traditional Charpy V-Notch Test is not directly applicable to design, but nil ductility temperature (NDT) can be used to predict the onset of brittle fracture given the temperature, local and average stress, and approximate initial crack length. This investigation shows that while Charpy V-Notch energy cannot be used to accurately predict NDT for ASTM A572 - Grade 50 steels, the CVN test may be useful for screening purposes. The spread of NDT in production material was found to be 110°F.