Miniature testing devices and techniques are gaining increasing traction due to their capabilities in performing material assessment in an (almost) non-destructive manner. Among the different experimental techniques proposed, the Small Punch Test is particularly popular, as it has proven capable of reliably characterising the mechanical response when little material is available – i.e., heat-affected zones, irradiated material, etc.
We have aimed at extending the success of the Small Punch Test to the assessment of fracture properties by introducing different notched geometries, to accommodate different triaxiality conditions. We have also presented new hybrid experimental-numerical methodologies based on the crack tip opening displacement. Understanding damage initiation and subsequent failure required conducting Gurson-type analyses of material failure. And, more recently, we have employed the Small Punch Test to characterise additively manufactured metallic and polymer samples. These research achievements are being exploited commercially by the spin-off company KHIS group.
