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ISO 14556 Instrumented Impact Test Charpy V-notch pendulum impact

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ISO 14556 — Metallic materials – Charpy V‑notch pendulum impact test – Instrumented test method

ISO 14556 applies exclusively to instrumented Charpy V-notch pendulum impact tests for all metallic materials. It does not replace ISO 148-1 but complements it: conventional Charpy tests only output total absorbed energy, while this standard captures real-time force-displacement curves and a full set of dynamic characteristic parameters. It also covers specifications for miniature test pieces as an optional extension and sets strict requirements for measuring, recording and calibration systems.


What ISO 14556 adds is instrumentation to measure force (and time/displacement) during the blow, so you get a force–time / force–displacement curve instead of only a single number (absorbed energy KV).

From that curve you extract characteristic forces, displacements, and partial energies that describe howthe specimen yields, cracks, and arrests — not just how muchenergy was absorbed.


Test Principle

The test follows the basic Charpy impact setup specified in ISO 148-1: a V-notched specimen is simply supported on two anvils and struck by a pendulum striker. Differing from conventional tests, an instrumented striker fitted with strain gauges and high-speed data acquisition systems are used to continuously record impact force, striker displacement and time throughout the entire fracture process.

The force-displacement curve derived from raw signals is the core output. By calculating the area under this curve and analyzing key inflection points, researchers can separate the energy consumed in elastic deformation, general yielding, unstable crack initiation and crack arrest stages. This reveals the complete dynamic fracture mechanism of materials under high-rate impact loads, rather than just a single total energy value.


Specific test method(s) covered

ISO 14556 is one method family — the instrumented variant of the Charpy V‑notch pendulum test:

AspectWhat ISO 14556 defines
Base testCharpy V‑notch per ISO 148-1 (same specimen geometry, anvil span ~40 mm, striker radii 2 mm / 8 mm, temperature/transfer rules, etc.)
Added measurementContinuous F(t) via instrumented striker → F(s) curve
OutputsNot just KV, but Fₘ, Fgy, Fiu, Fa, displacements sgy, sm, siu, sa, st, and partial energies Wₘ, Wiu, Wa, Wt


Test Specimen Requirements

Standard Specimen

The standard test piece fully complies with ISO 148-1 Charpy V-notch specimen:

Overall dimensions: 55 mm × 10 mm × 10 mm (length × width × thickness).

V-notch parameters: 45° included angle, 2 mm depth, 0.25 mm root radius, with strict dimensional and surface roughness tolerances.

Surface roughness: Ra ≤ 2 μm for notched areas, Ra ≤ 4 μm for other surfaces.

ISO 14556 Instrumented Impact Test Charpy V-notch pendulum impact

Miniature Test Pieces 

For scenarios with limited material sampling volume (e.g., thin plates, small components), standardized miniature specimens are permitted with dedicated equipment adjustments:

Main dimensions: Length 27 mm, width 4 mm, thickness 3 mm; notch angle 60°, notch root radius 0.1 mm.

Special notes: Data from miniature specimens cannot be directly compared with standard full-size specimens; dedicated correlation research is required.

Specimen Preparation Rules

Specimen machining, heat treatment and marking rules follow ISO 148-1.

The notch root must be free of machining scratches to avoid abnormal stress concentration and distorted dynamic signals.

For temperature-controlled tests, the specimen temperature at impact must be maintained within ±2 °C of the target value.


Test Equipment of ISO 14556 Metal Instrumented pendulum impact test

Charpy Pendulum Instrumented Impact Testing Machine

The UnitedTest Instrumented Impact Testing machine adopts advanced foreign technology and cooperate with National Engineering & Physical research institute to developed a new products. 

Instrumented impact tester is measuring the impact value, collect and analysis the impact process data, figure energy curve.  

The system consists of a standard Charpy pendulum impact machine plus dedicated instrumented modules, all required to comply with ISO 148-2 (machine verification).

Instrumented Striker

Equipped with two active strain gauges and compensating gauges to form a full bridge circuit for force measurement. Two mainstream striker designs are specified in standard.

ISO 14556 Instrumented Impact Test Charpy V-notch pendulum impact

Force Measurement System

Minimum response frequency of 100 kHz (signal rise time ≤ 3.5 μs); for miniature specimens, the required frequency rises to 250 kHz.

The system can withstand a nominal impact force up to 40 kN for standard steel specimens.

Displacement Measurement

Derived from force-time data via double numerical integration, or measured by non-contact optical/inductive sensors.

Linear error ≤ ±2 % within 1–30 mm range.

Data RecorderMinimum 8-bit analog-to-digital converter (12-bit recommended), sampling rate ≥250 kHz (1 MHz for miniature tests), minimum 2000 data points per test (8000 recommended).
Temperature Conditioning DevicesLiquid or gaseous medium containers for heating/cooling specimens, and insulated transfer tongs for rapid specimen handling.


Key Test Parameters & Mandatory Stipulations: 

1. Impact Velocity

Standard test velocity range: 5.0 m/s to 5.5 m/s (consistent with ISO 148).

For miniature specimens: Adjustable within 1.0–5.5 m/s; velocities above 4 m/s are not recommended to avoid excessive signal oscillation.

Rule: The pendulum’s initial potential energy shall be at least three times the measured maximum force energy Wm.

2. Force & Energy Characteristic Definitions

The standard defines a complete set of characteristic parameters extracted from force-displacement curves:

Force parameters: General yield force (Fgy), maximum force (Fm), unstable crack initiation force (Fiu), crack arrest force (Fa).

Displacement parameters: Corresponding displacements for the above forces, total displacement (St).

Energy parameters: Energy at maximum force (Wm), unstable crack initiation energy (Wiu), crack arrest energy (Wa), total impact energy (Wt).

ISO 14556 Instrumented Impact Test Charpy V-notch pendulum impact

Determination of the characteristic values of force (From ISO 14556)


3. Curve Classification

Force-displacement curves are divided into six types (A–F) to judge fracture modes:

Type A/B: Lower shelf (dominated by unstable crack propagation, typical brittle fracture).

Type C/D/E: Transition zone (mixed stable and unstable crack growth).

Type F: Upper shelf (only stable crack propagation, typical ductile fracture).


Operational Procedures of ISO 14556 Instrumented Charpy Impact Test

Pre-test Preparation: Verify the impact machine and instrument system are calibrated. Inspect specimen dimensions, notch quality and surface condition. Prepare temperature conditioning devices if low/high temperature tests are needed.

System Debugging: Power on the data acquisition system, set sampling frequency, range and recording duration. Perform a no-load pendulum swing to check signal stability and zero drift.

Specimen Temperature Conditioning: Place specimens in liquid or gas medium and hold for the specified duration to reach the target temperature.

Specimen Placement & Impact: Use insulated tongs to transfer the specimen within the time limit and place it accurately on the anvils. Release the pendulum to strike the specimen; the system automatically records the full force-time/displacement data.

Signal Processing & Data Calculation: Filter signal oscillations, fit the force-displacement curve, extract all characteristic force, displacement and energy values, and classify the curve type.

Post-test Recording: Observe specimen fracture status, measure auxiliary indicators (if needed), and compile the formal test report.


Industrial Application Fields

This standard targets advanced material research, failure analysis and high-precision quality control, widely used in high-end industries:

Steel & Metallurgical R&D: Study the ductile-brittle transition mechanism of carbon steel, alloy steel and high-strength steel; optimize smelting and heat treatment processes.

Aerospace & Defense: Evaluate dynamic fracture performance of aviation aluminum alloys, titanium alloys and structural steels under extreme temperature and impact loads.

Energy & Pressure Equipment: Research low-temperature toughness of pipeline steel, liquefied gas tank steel and nuclear power structural materials.

Automotive & Railway: Analyze impact fracture of vehicle chassis, body and track materials for crash safety design.

Material Failure Analysis: Reconstruct the dynamic fracture process of failed metal components to identify root causes (brittle crack initiation or ductile overload).

Academic & Laboratory Research: Basic material mechanics research and inter-laboratory comparative tests.

Powder Metallurgy & Advanced Alloys: Characterize the dynamic toughness of special non-ferrous alloys and PM materials.


Related Test Standard:

ISO 148-1Metallic materials - Charpy pendulum impact test - Part 1: Test method
ASTM E23

Standard Test Methods for Notched Bar Impact Testing of Metallic Materials

ASTM E2298Standard for instrumented impact testing, matching conventional impact tests in ASTM E23 to collect force-displacement curves.
AASHTO T 266

Standard Method of Test for Notched Bar Impact Testing of Metallic Materials (CVN)

JIS Z 2242

Method for Charpy pendulum impact test of metallic materials


KS B 0810Method of impact test for metallic materials
GB/T 229 Metallic materials—Charpy pendulum impact test method
GB/T 19748

Metallic materials—Charpy V-notch pendulum impact test—Instrumented test method

ISO 14556

Metallic materials — Charpy V-notch pendulum impact test — Instrumented test method

EN 10045-1Charpy Impact Test for Metallic Materials - Test Method
ISO 148-2

Metallic materials - Charpy pendulum impact test - Part 2: Verification of testing machines

ISO 148-3

Metallic materials. Charpy pendulum impact test. Preparation and characterization of Charpy V-notch test pieces for indirect verification of pendulum impact machines

ISO 148-4

Metallic materials. Charpy pendulum impact test - Testing of miniature Charpy-type V-notch test pieces


Related products and device

ISO 14556 Instrumented Impact Testing Machine

Instrumented impact tester is adopts advanced foreign technology and cooperate with China National Engineering & Physical research institute to developed a new products. Instrumented impact tester is measuring the impact value, collect and analysis the impact process data, figure energy curve.

ISO 14556 impact specimen U/V notching machine

Electric impact specimen U/V notching machine is a specialized specimen preparation device for metal Charpy pendulum impact tests. It is driven by a motor and lead screw, and uses forming cutting tools to cut a V-shaped or U-shaped notch in a single pass, meeting standards such as GB/T 229, ISO 148,

ISO 14556 Impact Test Sample UV Notch Profile Projector

CST-50 projector is a supplemental equipment for impact test, mainly used to check the accuracy of impact specimen U/V notch. Put the notched specimen on projector working table, multiple 50* and compare the projection image with standard plate, then identify the quality of impact specimen notch.

ISO 14556 Low Temperature Chamber For Impact Test

DWC low temperature chamber is a supplemental equipment for impact test under low temperature. Use imported high quality compressor to refrigerate, single-chip micro processor control, auto control temperature, timing, alarm etc.; Refrigeration fast, big volume.

ISO 148-1 Metal Charpy Impact Testing Machine

Impact Tester is mainly used to determine the anti-impact capability of ferrous metal materials with high toughness, especially for steel and iron and their alloy, under dynamic load. This series tester is operated semi-automatically.

Related Standard

ASTM E2298 Instrumented Impact Testing of Metallic Materials

ASTM E2298 dedicated to instrumented Charpy V-notch (CVN) and miniaturized Charpy V-notch (MCVN) impact tests for metallic materials. Instead of only obtaining a single absorbed energy value, this standard extracts force, displacement and segmented energy parameters to analyze the full fracture process. 

ISO 148-1 Metal Charpy pendulum impact test methods

ISO 148-1 defines the method for the Charpy (V-notch & U-notch) pendulum impact test to determine the absorbed energy when a notched metallic specimen is broken by a single swinging pendulum blow. It does not cover instrumented impact testing (that belongs to ISO 14556). 

ASTM E23 Impact Test Methods for Metal Notched Bar

ASTM E23 covers both Charpy (simple‑beam) and Izod (cantilever‑beam) notched-bar impact tests. It applies to all metallic materials for impact tests using pendulum machines.

ASTM D6110 Plastic Charpy Impact Test of Notched Specimens

ASTM D6110: Standard Test Method for Determining the Charpy Impact Resistance of Notched Specimens of Plastics


ASTM D6110 test method is used to determine the resistance of plastics to breakage by flexural shock as indicated by the energy extracted from standardized pendulum-type hammers, mounted in standardized machines, in breaking standard specimens with one pendulum swing. This test method requires specimens to be made with a milled notch. The notch produces a stress concentration which promotes a brittle, rather than a ductile, fracture. The results of this test method are reported in terms of energy absorbed per unit of specimen width.


The tests require specimens made with a milled notch, hence the test is often referred to as the “notched bar impact test”. In both the Charpy and Izod Tests, the notch produces a stress concentration which promotes a brittle, rather than a ductile, fracture.

ISO 148-2 Verification Charpy impact testing machines

ISO 148-2 specifically formulated for the verification, calibration and performance inspection of Charpy pendulum impact testing machines used in Charpy impact tests per ISO 148-1

ISO 148-3 Charpy V-notch test pieces for indirect verification of pendulum impact machines

ISO 148-3 core focus is to establish unified rules for manufacturing, qualification, certification and proper use of Charpy V-notch reference test pieces, which are essential for the indirect verification of Charpy impact machines as required by ISO 148-2.

ASTM E2248, ISO 148-4 Charpy Impact Testing of small specimen

ASTM E2248 and ISO 148-4 governs impact tests using fully miniaturized Charpy V-notch (MCVN) specimens, where all linear dimensions (length, cross-section, ligament) are proportionally reduced. It is clearly differentiated from subsize specimens specified in ASTM E23: subsize specimens retain standard length, notch geometry and surface finish while only reducing thickness, whereas MCVN specimens shrink the entire structure to maximize test quantity from limited material. 

FAQs for ISO 14556 (Instrumented Charpy V-Notch Pendulum Impact Test)

Q1: What is ISO 14556?

A: ISO 14556 is an international standard for instrumented Charpy V-notch pendulum impact tests on metallic materials. It is a supplementary standard to ISO 148-1 (conventional Charpy impact test). The 2015 version has been superseded by ISO 14556:2023, but the former is still used in many existing laboratories and legacy projectsISO. It focuses on collecting dynamic force, displacement and time signals during impact to analyze the full fracture process.


Q2: What is the difference between ISO 14556 and conventional ISO 148-1 Charpy test?

A: ISO 148-1 only measures the total absorbed energy as a single value. ISO 14556 adds high-speed data acquisition systems to record real-time force-displacement curves and a series of dynamic characteristic parameters. It can distinguish elastic deformation, yielding, crack initiation and crack arrest stages, revealing the complete dynamic fracture mechanism of materials.


Q3: Why ISO 14556 matters — what you gain vs. “KV-only”

KV-only (ISO 148‑1)+ ISO 14556 instrumented
One number: absorbed energyTime-resolved fracture mechanics signature: elastic loading → yield → max load → unstable cleavage pop-in → arrest → tearing
Good for pass/fail at a temperatureGood for understanding mechanisms, building transition curves with Fiu/Fa, comparing materials with same KV but different failure physics
Blind to crack initiation vs. propagation splitQuantifies Wiu (initiation energy) vs. post-initiation energy — critical for safety-critical, low-ductility service


Q4: Why is the ISO 14556 test important for metallic materials?

A:It reveals the whole dynamic fracture process, rather than just total energy, which is critical for studying intrinsic toughness and crack propagation rules.

It accurately characterizes the ductile-brittle transition behavior of materials under different temperatures, helping prevent low-temperature brittle failure.

It provides detailed dynamic mechanical data for crash safety, structural design and process optimization in automotive, aerospace and energy industries.

It serves as a powerful tool for component failure analysis, to judge whether failure is caused by brittle cracking or ductile overload.

It forms a complete testing system with ISO 148-1: conventional tests for routine quality control, and instrumented tests for advanced research and high-standard evaluation.


Q5: What materials does ISO 14556 apply to? Can it test non-metals?

A: It is designed for all ferrous and non-ferrous metallic materials, including carbon steel, alloy steel, aluminum alloys, titanium alloys and powder metallurgy materials. It is not applicable to plastics, rubber and other non-metallic materials.


Q6: Can ISO 14556 test results be directly used for structural safety calculation?

A: No. The standard clearly states that the dynamic parameters and force-displacement curves from this test cannot be directly used for structural strength calculation or safety assessment of actual components.


Q7: What are the calibration rules for the instrumented system?

A:Static calibration shall use a high-stiffness standard support block. The measurement error is limited to ±1% (10–100% full scale) and ±2% (50–100% full scale).

Full calibration is required at least every 12 months. Re-calibration is mandatory after striker replacement, machine moving, disassembly or repair.


Q8: What is the allowable deviation between instrument energy (Wt) and conventional dial energy (KV)?

A: For conventional impact machines: the difference shall not exceed 5 J. For low-energy machines (≤50 J): the deviation shall be controlled within 0.5 J. Excessive deviation means machine friction or measuring system is faulty and needs troubleshooting.


Q9: How to handle incompletely fractured specimens?

A: Mark "not fully broken" clearly in the test report. The total displacement and related energy parameters shall be judged according to the curve trend (when the force approaches 0.02 Fm.


Q10: Is there an American counterpart standard?

A: Yes, ASTM E2298 is the American standard for instrumented impact testing, which has partial differences in curve classification and parameter definition compared with ISO 14556.


Q11: Why do force curves have obvious oscillations?

A: Common reasons: 1. The measuring system frequency or sampling rate is insufficient; 2. Impact velocity is too high (especially for miniature specimens); 3. Loose machine components or unstable pendulum. It is necessary to filter the signal or adjust equipment parameters.


Q12: Why are the repeated test data scattered greatly?

A: Main causes: Unqualified system calibration, unstable specimen temperature, inconsistent notch quality, or improper specimen placement. It is required to re-calibrate equipment and standardize specimen preparation and operation.


Q13: Can U-notch specimens be used for ISO 14556 tests?

A: No. This standard is specially for Charpy V-notch specimens. U-notch impact tests still follow ISO 148-1.


Q14: What equipment is “special” compared to a normal Charpy machine?

A: You still need a pendulum machine verified per ISO 148‑2, but you must add an instrumented striker and high‑speed measurement chain:

Force transducer: usually two active strain gauges on the striker in a full bridge (plus compensating gauges not mounted where impact vibration occurs).

High‑frequency front‑end: the force measuring chain shall support ≥100 kHz (rise time ≤3.5 µs) for full‑size specimens.

DAQ: fast sampling (the standard discusses ≥250 kHz / 4 µs class, and recommends 12‑bit & ~1 MHz / larger buffers for robustness).

Calibration: ideally performed with the striker mounted in the hammer, loading through a special support block that reproduces contact conditions (Annex B shows an example for a 2 mm striker).


Q15: What's the Calibration Requirements? 

A: Static Calibration: Conduct with a high-stiffness support block. Force measurement error: ≤ ±1 % for 10–100 % full scale, ≤ ±2 % for 50–100 % full scale.

Calibration Interval: Full system calibration at least every 12 months; re-calibration is mandatory after striker replacement, machine movement, disassembly or repair.

Data Consistency Check: The total impact energy (Wt) from the instrument system and the conventional absorbed energy (KV) from the machine dial shall differ by no more than 5 J for standard machines; ≤ 0.5 J for low-energy machines (≤50 J). Excess deviation requires troubleshooting friction or calibration issues. 


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