Impact Test

A test to determine the behavior of materials when subjected to high rates of loading, usually in bending, tension or torsion. The quantity measured is the energy absorbed in breaking the specimen by a single blow, as in the Charpy or Izod tests.

Impact tests also are performed by subjecting specimens to multiple blows of increasing intensity, as in the drop ball impact test, and repeated blow impact test.

Impact resilience and scleroscope hardness are determined in nondestructive impact tests.

See also: Toughness.