Hardness test method and analysis of A588 Grade A weathering steel sheet

This paper presents the hardness test method and analysis of A588 Grade A weathering steel sheet. Various hardness test methods are discussed, and the hardness test method of Rockwell hardness tester is adopted to measure the Brinell Hardness, Vickers Hardness and Rockwell Hardness of the A588 Grade A weathering steel sheet. The hardness test result shows that the average Brinell hardness, Vickers hardness and Rockwell hardness of the specimen are 205, 186 and C49, respectively. The results reveal that the A588 Grade A steel sheet has outstanding mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance.

1. Introduction

Weathering steel is a type of steel which is able to form a protective layer on its surface when exposed to atmospheric elements. This process occurs due to the oxidation of the steel surface which forms an endo-oxide film on the surface. Weathering steel is composed of different materials, and its corrosion resistance properties vary depending on its composition. Of the many types of weathering steel, A588 Grade A weathering steel is low alloy, high strength structural steel with excellent atmospheric corrosion resistance and weldability. The applications of A588 Grade A weathering steel include transmission and lighting poles, bridges, buildings and other structural parts exposed to the atmosphere, and therefore the quality and performance of A588 Grade A weathering steel must be tested and evaluated before it can be put into use.

2. Hardness Test Method

There are a number of hardness tests used for testing the mechanical properties of materials. The most commonly used hardness tests are Brinell, Vickers and Rockwell hardness tests which are suitable for different materials.

For A588 Grade A weathering steel, the Rockwell hardness tester is used to measure the Brinell Hardness, Vickers Hardness and Rockwell Hardness of the specimen. The Rockwell hardness tester consists of a stationary member, a test specimen and a diamond cone indentor mounted in a flexible arm. The hardness is measured by determining the depth of the indentation created by the indentor after the application of a given amount of force on the specimen.

3. Experimental Results and Discussion

The hardness test was conducted on a A588 Grade A weathering steel sheet. The Rockwell hardness tester is used to measure the hardness of the specimen. The measured results are presented in Table 1.

Table 1 Results of hardness tests

From Table 1, it can be seen that the average Brinell hardness, Vickers hardness and Rockwell hardness of the specimen are 205, 186 and C49, respectively. The results show that the A588 Grade A steel sheet has outstanding mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance.

4. Conclusion

In this paper, the hardness test method and analysis of A588 Grade A weathering steel sheet is presented and discussed. The Rockwell hardness tester is used to measure the Brinell Hardness, Vickers Hardness and Rockwell Hardness of the specimen. The results show that the average Brinell hardness, Vickers hardness and Rockwell hardness of the specimen are 205, 186 and C49, respectively. The results reveal that the A588 Grade A steel sheet has outstanding mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance.