What Does Impact Fracture Mean?
An impact fracture is a form of failure where a metal separates into fragments due to a stress applied at a temperature below the metal's melting point. Impact fractures are due to track formation and propagation.
Impact fractures can be classified either as ductile or brittle depending on the elongation pattern that is present. A ductile fracture is characterized by appreciable, progressive deformation and slow crack propagation, while a brittle fracture is characterized by immediate deformation and fast crack propagation.