European activity on instrumented impact testing of subsize Charpy V-notch specimens (ESIS TC5)

In the frame of the activities of the European Structural Integrity Society (ESIS) and within the Technical sub-committee 5 on `Dynamic Testing at Intermediate Strain Rates,' a working group was formed in 1991 to address the subject of subsize specimen impact testing. In parallel with drafting a test procedure, this group has organized and carried out an interlaboratory round-robin exercise aimed at validating the procedure and clarifying several aspects of the methodology. The round-robin involved thirteen labs, two of which were from the U.S., and was subdivided into two phases. This paper presents an overview of the activity of this ESIS working group, with specific emphasis on the round-robin results, which will be presented and discussed.