Review of small punch test technique for evaluating mechanical behaviour of materials and in-service components using miniature specimen

摘要

This paper is devoted to a literature review of small (miniature) specimen test techniques, as employed on irradiated materials or otherwise for the determination of mechanical behaviour or different mechanical properties of in-service engineering components. The important developments in techniques for analysis of mechanical behaviour of metallic alloys during degradation due to temperature, irradiation effect and other environmental effects on in-service structures are presented. Miniaturized specimen test technique provide a way of obtaining mechanical properties of materials or components, while requiring an amount of material that is very small relative to that required for standard conventional test specimens. From this review, it is apparent that the small punch test shows strong potential and is the only method existing at present capable of providing experimental determination of various mechanical characteristics of service exposed materials or components. The numerical simulation using FEM of such miniature test specimen is also discussed.