EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON

LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390

SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

EN113 ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES
LAB 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING FOR ALUMINUM, STEEL
AND BRASS
NAME Ranger WATSON

ID NUMBER 24300390

PROGRAM BECV/1

COURSE CODE EN113

LECTURER DR. S.K ALES

SEMESTER TWO (2)

ACADEMIC YEAR 2024

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

ABSTRACT
The Brinell test is a simple indentation test for determining the hardness of a wide variety of
materials. The test consists of applying constant load (force), usually between 500 to 3000 kg,
for specified time (10 to 30 seconds). Using a 5 to 10 mm tungsten carbide ball on the flat
surface of a work piece the load time period is required to ensure that plastic flow of the metal
is ceased. After removal of load, the resultant recovered impression is measured in
millimeters, using Brinell hardness formula.
Brinell hardness tests are carried out on some materials to find out about the resistance to
penetration or indentation. This method was invented in 1900 by the Swedish engineer John
Brinell (Featured Snippets, 2020). The greater resistance to deformation is true for hardest
materials and the contrary is for the soft materials. Hardness is proportional to the mechanical
properties of the materials. Some of the factors that influences hardness are including
microstructure, grain size and strain hardening (Rethwisch, 2014). Early hardness testing was
based on the ability of one material to scratch another that is softer. Over the years, other
qualitative techniques have been developed in which a small indenter is forced into the
surface of another material at a specific load application. “The resulting indentation is related
to a hardness number, the softer material undergoes greater indentation with less BH number
whilst hard material has higher hardness index number” as stated by (Rethwisch, 2014).

CONTENTS
Cover page……………………………………………………………………………………………………….........p-1
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………p-2
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………p-3
Aim…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… p-4
Materials used……………………………………………………………………………………………………………p-5-6
Procedure…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...p-7
Results…………………………………………………………………………………………………….......................p-8-9
Results Discussion……………………………………………………………………………………………………….p10-11
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. p12
Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… p-13
Reference………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. p-14

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

INTRODUCTION
Hardness is generally considered as resistance of a material to localized plastic deformation.
Hardness ranges from super hard materials such as diamond, boron carbide to other ceramic
and hard metals, soft metals and down to plastics and soft tissues. The hardness of materials
is measured by loading an indenter material which is usually a ball, pyramid or cone, is made
of a material much harder than the material being tested. For most standard hardness tests,
a known load is applied slowly by pressing the indenter at 90 degrees into the metals surface
being tested. After the indentation has been made, the indenter is withdrawn from the
surface. An empirical hardness number is then calculated or read off a dial (or digital display),
which is based on cross – sectional area of depth of the indentation. Factors influencing
hardness include microstructure, grain size, strain hardening and etc. The most common types
of tests that are widely used and adopted in engineering practices are the Brinell, Vicker’s,
and Rockwell methods (William D. Callister).
Out of the types of hardness tests mentioned above, only Brinell hardness test was applied in
the actual practical conducted in the laboratory, during the lab session. Brinell hardness is one
of the major types of hardness test that is used to calculate ease of plastic deformation. This
is the common test in material quality control due to its simplicity and because it is not
detrimental to the specimens being tested. The experiment contains the indenting the
specimen with a ball made up of harder material – in most cases it is a diamond or hardened
steel ball. The load is applied for about 30 seconds and then the diameter of the indentation
is measured. The Brinell hardness number is determined by dividing the load applied by the
surface area of the indentation. The higher the number, the less likely the material will suffer
plastic deformation. The indentation is considered to be spherical with a radius equal to half
the diameter of the ball, when it comes to Brinell hardness testing. The average of the two
diagonals is (Rethwisch, 2014) used in the following formula to calculate the Brinell hardness
using the formula stated here,

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

AIM/OBJECTIVE
The paramount purpose of the practical performed was in order to identify which of the three
specimens; Aluminum, Copper and Steel is the hardest, harder, hard or soft, by making
comparable judgements using the calculated values of their indentation thicknesses or their
diameters.
Alternatively, the lab was prepared to introduce hardness testing in order to study the
hardness of different types of materials, and to understand the significance of the properties
in nature. The materials aforesaid properties have significant use in engineering Technology.

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

MATERIALS/EQUIPMENTS USED
The materials that were employed in the experiment were including; Brinell hardness testing
machine,10 mm tungsten carbide indenter ball, vernier caliper, Aluminum, Brass and Steel
specimen, loads (each 125 kg), phone, marker and whiteboard

Figure1: weight balance Figure2: Indenter ball

Figure3: Brinell Hardness Tester Figure4: Vernier Caliper

Fig5: Specimens (Al, Cu, Brass)

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE MATERIALS SHOWN ON THE ABOVE FIGURES, IN THE EXPERIMENT CARRIED OUT IN THE
LAB WERE SHOWN BELOW;

(Figure 1): Metal weight balance: these were the two metals used in the lab to balance the
two opposite arms of the Brinell hardness tester machine, when the load is applied. Each
weighed 500g.
(Figure 2): Indenter Ball: this was the one that actually caused the indentation on the three
specimens used.
(Figure 3): Brinell Hardness tester: it was the that encounter, whether if the specimens used
were hard or soft.
(Figure): Vernier Caliper: it was the measuring instrument used in the lab to measure the
thickness or diameter of the indented part of the specimens used, after they had undergone
the Brinell Hardness Tester Machine.
(Figure 5): These were the main characters of the experiment carried out.

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

PROCEDURE INVOLVED
Firstly, the test piece (i.e., Aluminum specimen) was placed onto the test table directly below
the indenter. Then, the hand wheel has been turned slowly and carefully in counter-clockwise
manner till the specimen comes in contact with the indenter. Subsequently, the pressure scale
has been reset to zero using the pressure calibrated knob. Next, the loads have been placed
simultaneously on both sides of the load’s hanger, starting with 500 kg each on both sides,
followed by next 500 kg then 125 kg each and finally 125 kg each. The total loads applied at
first test was 2500 kg. At this stage, the species is set so the pressure has been applied by
pushing the pressure control handle up and down slowly down. The deflecting pointer at the
pressure scale in (GPa) has been noted. Thereafter, the pointer stopped deflecting and the
pressure reading was observed and recorded.
Furthermore, the pressure control handle has been lifted up slowly to release the pressure.
Then, the handle wheel has been turned anti – clockwise in order to drop the test table.
Finally, the specimen was taken up and the indentation were observed, measured using
vernier caliper and recorded using the marker and whiteboard. The same species has been
put back onto the test table but this time, the total load has been reduced to 2250 kg. The
third time the test was repeated for the total of 1250 kg, then 1000 kg and finally 500 kg. The
respective indentation was observed, measured and recorded.
The same procedure that has been used for Aluminum specimen has been repeated for Brass
and Steel test species.

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 EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

RESULTS
TABLE 1
Shows the measured values/data of the three specimens (aluminum, steel and copper) used
during the practical session.

Specimens Load (kg) Diameter of Impression (mm)

STEEL
500 3.5
1000 4
1500 4.5
2000 5
2500 6
BRASS
500 3
1000 3.5
1500 4
2000 4.5
2500 5.5
ALUMINUM
500 5.5
1000 6
1500 7
2000 7.5
2500 8

TABLE 2
Shows the calculated and analyzed values of the results plotted in table 1.

Specimen Load Indenter Diameter Impression Brinell Pressure

(kg) Ball of Area (mm2) Hardness (Psi)
diameter impression Number (BHN)
(mm) (mm) in (kg/mm2)
Steel
500 10 3.5 9.6 50.33 2000
1000 10 4 12.6 76.26 3000
1500 10 4.5 15.9 89.27 4000
2000 10 5 19.6 95.04 5000
2500 10 6 28.3 79.58 6000
Brass
500 10 3 7.1 69.11 2000
1000 10 3.5 9.6 100.65 3000

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

1500 10 4 12.6 114.38 4000

2000 10 4.5 15.9 119.03 5000
2500 10 5.5 23.8 96.55 6000
Aluminum
500 10 5.5 23.8 19.31 2000
1000 10 6 28.3 31.83 3000
1500 10 7 38.5 33.41 4000
2000 10 7.5 44.2 37.61 5000
2500 10 8 50.3 39.79 6000

The graph below shows the pictural form of the results in the tables above.
Title: the graph of indented Area (mm2) Vs Applied load (kg)

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

RESULTS DISCUSSION
The practical was purposely made to introduce hardness testing for steel, brass and aluminum.
In other words, it was done in order to make comparisons about their hardness after analyzing
the recorded and calculated results in and on the tables (T1 and T2) and graph sketched above.
As shown on table 1 are the results obtained after following necessary experimental
procedures while lab goes on, while table 2 shows the calculated values from table 1. Both
the tables and the combination graph above were used to draw-up the discussion sector in
this report. The loads range descent from 500kg – 2500kg was uniform for steel, brass and
aluminum. That means indented diameter and area of the respective specimens increased or
decreased, according to the load applied (from small to big), and depending on how hard they
are. By looking at the indented diameter and area of each specimen, it seems like applied load
range is not constant all throughout. This is due to the fact that, within all the specimens used,
steel should be the hardest material with less indented diameter or area, while compared to
brass and aluminum, but in the practical conducted, it was observed that indented diameters
or areas of steel were greater than for brass. This caused incontinences in drawing out
discussion and conclusion of the experiment performed.
So sometimes people can conclude such experiment by saying that, brass is hardest, steel is
intermediate and aluminum is soft, instead of saying that, steel is the hardest, brass is
intermediate and aluminum is still soft. This could be happened if the, applied loads across
the experiment are not consistent. So, in this practical, an error has been identified that, the
range of loads applied from 500kg to 2500kg is not constant for all the specimens involved.
That means there has to be the application of different loads somewhere in the process to
meet the recorded results above, especially in the indented part of diameter and area of
specific specimens used. So, to minimize that error, the written report here has been written
based on the general idea, that steel is hardest, brass is intermediate and aluminum is soft.
From there it was observed that steel is the hardest, as it possessed smallest indented
diameter and area, while brass is the intermediate as it has intermediate indented diameter
and area, whilst aluminum is the softest, as it possessed the greatest indented diameter and
area.
The pressure released from these loads are uniform as well for all these three specimens
used, as shown above on the Table 2, where it ranges from 2000Pa – 6000Pa. As the load
increases the pressure also increases and they are directly proportional to each other. For
instance, for a load of 2500kg for all three specimens yield a pressure of 6000 Pascal’s and
opposite is true for loads that are small like 500kg that yields a pressure of 2000 Pascal’s. As
also shown above on graph, as the load and pressure increase the diameter of impression also
increases for all three specimens. But by comparing individually for steel, brass and aluminum,
impression diameter for aluminum is greater than for the steel and brass. A brass has 0.5mm
increase for all the values of impression diameter where it depicts with those values for the
steel and aluminum with that difference. For instance, when a pressure of 6000 Pascal’ were
applied separately on first two specimens, steel and brass, the diameter of impression of 5mm

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

and 5.5mm yields’ respectively with a difference of 0.5mm. The same scenario happens for all
the values of diameter of impression for the three specimens used.
As it was seen, the table 2 depicts the load as a function of the diameter of impression. The
area under the graph of brass on figure 1 is greater than of steel or of aluminum and it
confirms the values tabulated on table 1 and points highlighted above. As depicted above on
table 1, a sample calculation on how the Brinell hardness numbers tabulated on table 2, were
calculated for all three specimens. Brinell hardness number, HB, is a function of both the
magnitude of the load and the diameter of the resulting indentation or impression. As shown
on the table 2 above, when the diameter and area of indentation increases the opposite
happens for the Brinell hardness number. For instance, the load of 2500kg for both specimens
were applied as shown above; the Brinell hardness number yield was 79.58 for steel, 96.55
for brass and 39.78 aluminum.
The BHN are different because all values of the steel have 0.5mm smaller than the value of
indentation diameter of brass and aluminum. These were proven in respect with the literature
table of BHN for all metals shown on Google (http://www.google.com) where the BHN for the
hardened-steel (130) is greater than brass (60). This means that the higher the indentation
diameter, it results with smaller values of Brinell hardness number. For example; when iron
and brass are used in an application in an open area to withstand friction or erosion by oil,
steam and water, the steel will function much better than brass due to its higher BHN, because
steel do not rust, as it cannot react with air and moisture, due to its preventive coating that
prevent it from rust. That means, the indentation diameter and BHN materials have an inverse
relationship. Therefore, the smaller the indentation diameter, the higher it will yield BHN
making the hardness for the surface more resistant or less resistant.

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

CONCLUSION
It is a vital to test most materials before they are accepted for processing, and before they are
put in to use to determine whether they meet the specifications required or not. To do so, one
of the tests used is Brinell Hardness test. The Brinell test is a simple indentation test for
determining the hardness of a wide variety of material. Hardness is the most important
property of a material. Therefore, we should learn to measure the hardness accurately. Brinell
hardness testing is most simple, inexpensive and non-destructive and is widely used in
engineering fields and other metal industries throughout the world. Brinell hardness test
provides useful information on which the materials may correlate to tensile strength, ductility,
wear resistance and other physical or mechanical characteristics of metallic materials and, is
also thus used in materials selection and quantity control systems in engineering. As proven
by practical, the greater the indentation diameter, the smaller the BHN, indicating that the
material is soft and if the indentation diameter is small, then greater is the BHN, indicating
that the material is hard. A material is considered as soft and ductile, because it has less
carbon content in it. This type of materials can withstand maximum loads without breaking,
due to their ductility or elasticity. Those that are hard have great carbon content in them, so
if a maximum load is applied on them, they might break easily without undergoing plastic
deformation further, because they are considered as brittle.
Having that the small setbacks in mind, in the practical conducted, the Brinell hardness testing
machine was used in examining the indentation of steel, brass and aluminum. In which the
hardened indenter ball 10 mm in diameter has been allowed to penetrate each of the test
species. It was evident that from the indentation, Steel has undergone great pressure to
produce less indentation followed by brass whilst aluminum has greatly indented with less
pressure applied. Besides, from the calculated values, steel has higher HBN values followed
by brass and aluminum. This concludes from the mechanical properties, steel is much harder,
aluminum is softer and brass is intermediate. Thus, the aim of the experiment was achieved
by conducting the hardness testing and realizing the limitation and also significance of
materials in terms of hardness data. Further improvements and better results can be achieved
when avoiding zero and parallax error whilst using the vernier caliper, and using smooth and
stronger indenter ball during the experiment.

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 EN113:ENGINEERING
EN113: ENGINEERINGMATERIALS
MATERIALSAND
ANDPROPERTIES
PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
ID: 24300390
SEMESTER1,1,2024
SEMESTER 2024ACADEMIC
ACADEMICYEAR
YEAR BECV/1
BECV/1

APPENDIX
[NB]: The above calculated results for each of the three specimens used were done as the
demonstration below;
The 500kg load for steel was used as a sample calculation on how the Brinell hardness number
was calculated for all other mentioned loads applied on the three specimens.
BHN = 2P ∕ ∏D (1O –√ (D2 – d 2))
=2(500)/ ∏ (10) (10 – √ (102- 3.52))
=1000/10∏ (10 -8.6602)
=1000/10∏ (0.6325)
=1000/19.870
HB = 50.33kg/mm2
Attention: Once again the same method was used for the calculation of Brinell Hardness
Number for all the loads prepared for steel, brass and aluminum. The calculated values were
tabulated on the table 2 above.

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EN113: ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES RANGER WATSON
LAB # 2: BRINELL HARDNESS TESTING ID: 24300390
SEMESTER 1, 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR BECV/1

REFERENCE
(1) Materials Science and Engineering AN INTRODUCTION WILLIAM D. CALLISTER, JR.
Department of Metallurgical Engineering the University of Utah DAVID G. RETHWISCH
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering the University of Iowa
(2) HTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/search?q=brinell+hardness+number+for+hard+brass+and
+steel&client+ms-android-samsung-gj-
rev1&prmd=inv&source=Inms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiCla6Qj4H3AhVg4jgGHfdr
A3wQ_AUoAXoECAIQAQ&biw=360&bih=612&dpr=2#imgrc=TiCRS9-n3tDfHM [Accessed on
4th of April

(3) JORDAN, J.2009. From ‘’Material Properties & Science. Retrieved from
https://www.jeremyjordan.me/hardness-of-materials-materials
(4) William. D, Callister. Jnr & David. G. Rethwisch. (2014). Material Science & engineering-9th
edition. Oxford Press.
(5) Ales. S. (2023). Lab instruction sheet. Papua New Guinea University of Technology

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