Implementation of the small punch test for the mechanical properties estimation of aluminum alloys

The Small Punch Test (SPT) has aroused interest in the last years as a mechanical characterization test due to its simple geometry and the minimum required specimen volume. Its origin in the nuclear industry has motivated wide research focused on the evaluation of ferrous alloys, and there are few publications for other materials like non-ferrous alloys, ceramics and polymers. In this investigation, the application of the SPT in aluminum alloys has been evaluated in order to obtain master correlation curves to demonstrate the feasibility of this test to estimate the yield strength and the ultimate tensile strength. The most used correlation methods in the literature have been analyzed and the obtained results have shown the necessary reliability and repeatability to consider the SPT as an alternative test to the estimation of the mechanical properties in aluminum alloys