Dr.

Vika Rizkia
Mechanical Engineering
Politeknik Negeri Jakarta
 is a measure of the capacity of a steel to be
hardened in depth when quenched from its
austenitizing temperature

Hardenability is one of the most important properties of a steel because it describes the ease
with which a given steel can be quenched to form martensite or the depth to which
martensite is formed on a given quench

It is an important property for welding, since it is inversely proportional to weldability, that is,
the ease of welding a material.
The ability of steel to form martensite on quenching is referred to as the hardenability.
Steels with high hardenability form martensite even on slow cooling.
High hardenability in a steel means that the steel forms martensite not only at surface but to
a large degree throughout the interior.

For the optimum development of strength, steel must be fully converted to martensite.
To achieve this, the steel must be quenched at a rate sufficiently rapid to avoid the
decomposition of austenite during cooling to such products as ferrite, pearlite and bainite.

Hardenability of a steel should not be confused with the hardness of a steel

The Hardness of a steel is a measure of

a sample's resistance to indentation or
 Hardenability refers to its ability to be
hardened to a particular depth under a
scratching particular set of conditions.
 It is a qualitative measure of the rate at

Hardenability which hardness drops off with distance

into the interior of a specimen as a
result of diminished martensite
content.

Hardenability is more related to depth of hardening of a steel upon heat treat

The depth of hardening in a plain carbon steel may be 2-

3 mm vs 50 mm in an alloy steel

A large diameter rod quenched in a particular medium will obviously cool more slowly
than a small diameter rod given a similar treatment. Therefore, the small rod is more likely
to become fully martensitic

The hardenability of a steel is the maximum diameter of the rod which will have 50%
martensite even in the core when quenched in an ideal quenchant. This diameter is known
as Di or ideal diameter.
 Relation between cooling
curves for the surface and
core of an oil-quenched 95
mm diameter bar ……….
 There are TWO methods to - Grossman’s Method
determine hardenability of steels : - Jominy end quench method

In Grossman’s method, we use round bars of different diameters

These bars are quenched in a suitable quenchant

Further, we determine the critical diameter (dc) which is the maximum diameter of the
rod which produced 50% martensite on quenching

The ideal diameter (DI) is then determined from the curve

This type of experiment requires multiple austenitization and quenching treatments on

specimens of varying diameter just to quantify the hardenability of a single material
Radial hardness profile of cylindrical steel samples of different
diameter and composition.
Hardenability
Curves
Grossmans method requires multiple austenitization and quenching treatments on
specimens of varying diameter just to quantify the hardenability of a single material

An alternative approach is to develop a more convenient standard test method that can be
used for relative comparison of hardenability. The Jominy end-quench test is one such
approach.

The jominy end-quench test is specified in ASTM standard A255 and is a widely used
method for quantifying hardenability. Its wide use adds to its value, since the utility of
empirical relations and data comparison becomes more reliable as more data are
accumulated.

Moreover, Jominy data have been collected on a large enough scale to offer a high degree
of statistical certainty for many steels.

These data have been correlated with measurements and/or calculations of dc

By using these correlations, a single Jominy test can be used to
estimate dc and DI for a given steel (and austenite grain size).
 Information gained from this test is necessary in
selecting the proper combination of alloy steel and
heat treatment to minimize thermal stresses and
distortion when manufacturing components of
various sizes

A round metal bar of standard size is

transformed to 100% austenite through
heat treatment, and is then quenched
on one end with room-temperature
water.
The cooling rate will be highest at the
end being quenched, and will decrease
as distance from the end increases

The hardenability is then found by

measuring the hardness along the bar:
the farther away from the quenched
end that the hardness extends, the
higher the hardenability
After end quenching, longitudinal Flat
Surfaces are ground on opposite sides of the
test piece as per dimensions.
The specimen is ground flat along its
length to a depth of .38mm (15
thousandths of an inch) to remove
decarburized material.
This grinding is very important
for correct positioning of the
sample in the fixture and also for
accurate repeatable and reliable
test results.

The hardness is measured at

intervals along its length
beginning at the quenched
end. Hardness at equal
intervals (1 mm or 1/16”) to
be checked and noted.
The cooling rate varies throughout The hardenability curves for several steels
the length of the bar, the rate being

©2003 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning ™ is a trademark used herein under license.
highest at the lower end which is in
direct contact with water.

The hardness along the length of the

bar is then measured at various
distances from the quenched end
and plotted in a graph.

The greater the depth to which the

hardness penetrates, the greater the
hardenability of the alloy
Because the cooling rate decreases as one
moves further from the quenched end, we
can measure the effects of a wide range of
cooling rates from vary rapid at the
quenched end to air cooled at the far end
By comparing the curves resulting from end
quench tests of different grades of steels, their
relative hardenability can be established. Thus
the flatter the curve, the greater the
hardenability
 Cooling Curves and Phases at
different Jominy Distances

A correlation may be drawn

between position along the Jominy
specimen and continuous cooling
transformations

For example, figure shows a

continuous cooling transformation
diagram for a eutectoid iron-carbon
alloy onto which is superimposed
the cooling curves at four different
Jominy positions, and
corresponding microstructure that
result from each
Cooling curves from
Jominy Distances
Cooling Curves and Phases at
different Jominy Distances
 Determination of Hardenability from Jominy Test Graph

After plotting the Jominy distance Vs Hardness curve, the Jominy distance having hardness
equal to 50 % martensite is determined

Then the diameter of a rod having cooling rate similar to the cooling rate at the Jominy
distance having 50 % martensite is determined from the graph corelating the Jominy distance
with the diameter of the rod having similar cooling rate for water quenching .

This diameter gives the hardenability of the steel in water quenching (having H value equal
to 1).

Hardenability in any other quenchant can be determined from the same graph

Di (hardenability in ideal quenching medium) can also be determined in a similar manner

We can determine hardenability for any other amount of martensite in the core in any
quenchant in a similar way
Grossman chart used to determine the hardenability of a steel bar

For Jominy
distance 4, the
hardenability in
water quenching
is 1.1 Inch.
 The fluid used for quenching the heated alloy effects the hardenability

Each fluid has its own thermal properties These cause rate of cooling
- Thermal conductivity differences
- Specific heat
- Heat of vaporization

Coefficient of severity of quench: H

Cooling capacities (Severity of

quench) of quenching medium
is known as H value

Cooling rates are at the center

of a 2.5 cm bar

Ideal quenchant is one which

brings down the surface
temperature to room
temperature instantaneously
and keeps it at that
temperature thereafter.
 Effect of Agitation on Coefficient of severity of
quench: H

Cooling Medium
Agitation Oil Water Brine
Violent 0.8-1.1 4.0 5.0
Strong 0.5-0.8 1.6-2.0
Good 0.4-0.5 1.4-1.5
Moderate 0.35-0.40 1.2-1.3
Mild 0.30-0.35 1.0-1.1 2.0-2.2
None 0.25 - 0.30 0.9-1.0 2.0
Grossman chart can be used to determine the hardenability of a
steel bar for different quenchants

If a steel is having 1.1”

hardenability, it will have
1.6” hardenability in a
quenchant with H value
equal to 5

Similarly, it will have 0.4”

and 0.9” hardenability in
quenchants with H value
0.2 and 0.5 respectively

©2003 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark

used herein under license.
Effect of DI and “H” on D

©2003 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark

used herein under license.
Factors affecting Hardenability
Slowing the phase transformation of austenite to ferrite and
pearlite increases the hardenability of steels
The most important variables which influence hardenability
are : 1. Austenite grain size
2. Carbon content
3. Alloying elements
Austenitic Grain Size
The hardenability increases with increasing austenite grain size, because the grain
boundary area which act as nucleating site is decreasing

This means that the sites for the nucleation of ferrite and pearlite are being
reduced in number, with the result that these transformations are slowed down,
and the hardenability is therefore increased

The more γ-grain boundary surface the easier it is for pearlite to form rather than
martensite

Smaller γ-grain size → lower hardenability

Larger γ-grain size → higher hardenability

Austenitic Grain Size
Carbon Content
Carbon is primarily a
hardening agent in steel
It also increases
hardenability by slowing
the formation of pearlite
and ferrite.
But its use at higher
levels is limited, because
of the lack of toughness
which results in greater
difficulties in fabrication
and, most important,
increased probability of
distortion and cracking
during heat treatment
and welding.
Alloying Ellement
The most economical way of increasing the hardenability of plain carbon
steel is to increase the manganese content, from 0.60 wt% to 1.40 wt%,
giving a substantial improvement in hardenability

Chromium and molybdenum are also very effective, and amongst the
cheaper alloying additions per unit of increased hardenabilily

Boron has a particularly large effect when it’s added to fully deoxidized low
carbon steel, even in concentrations of the order of 0.001%, and would be
more widely used if its distribution in steel could be more easily controlled
Alloying Ellement
Alloying Ellement
Alloying Ellement
Hardness of 42 at
center is obtained in
bars of different
diameters in
different steels
indicating different
hardenabilities.
Alloying Ellement
Hardness at center of a
3 inch bar is different
for different steels
indicating different
amounts of martensite
at the center
The Hardenability Multiplying Factor shows the rate at which the hardening
depth is increased with the percentage of the alloying element

The ideal diameter (DI ) is calculated from:

DI = DIC * ƒMn *ƒSi *ƒNi*ƒCr *ƒMo

Where DIC is the basic DI factor for carbon and ƒx is the
multiplying factor for the alloying element x.
Multiplying Factors For The Calculation Of Ideal Diameter
Exceptions
S - reduces hardenability because of formation of MnSand takes Mn out of solution as MnS
Ti - reduces hardenability because it reacts with C to form TiC and takes C out of solution;
TiC is very stable and does not easily dissolve

Co - reduces hardenability because it increases the rate of nucleation and growth of pearlite
Hardenability (as
Range of Di
Values) of Various
Steels
Calculate the approximate hardenability of an 8630
(0.3%C, 0.3%Si, 0.7%Mn, 0.5%Cr, 0.6%Ni, 0.2%Mo)
alloy steel with an ASTM grain size of 7
1. Find out base DI for 0.3% carbon
2. Calculate multiplying factors for each
element
3. Ideal critical diameter found by multiplying
base diameter by the multiplying factors
Dr. H. K. Khaira
Professor in MSME
MANIT, Bhopal
What’s Your Message?