ASTM E837 Determining Residual Stresses by the Hole Drilling Strain-Gage Method

ASTM E837 test method determines the effect of the hole-drilling strain-gage process on an isotropic linear elastic material and calculates the residual stress in small in-plane stress gradients. It defines the use of uniform and non-uniform stresses in thin and thick workpieces, respectively. The results are expressed in SI units.

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Overview
Scope, Applications, and Benefits
Test Process
Specifications
Instrumentation
Results and Deliverables

Overview

ASTM E837 residual stress testing is a standardized test method for the measurement of residual stresses in metallic materials and components using the hole drilling strain gage method, i.e., measurement of the strain relaxation that occurs as a small blind hole is incrementally drilled through a specified rosette strain gage arrangement. The standard specifies the strain gage rosette arrangement, hole drilling method, and the required residual stress calculation method for accurate measurement of the magnitudes and directions of near-surface residual stresses in components, thus providing useful information for materials engineers and structural analysts for assessing the integrity of components and for verifying the process in manufacturing industries.

Scope, Applications, and Benefits

Scope

ASTM E 837 measures residual stresses by placing a known strain gage rosette on the specimen’s surface, progressively drilling a blind hole through the rosette’s center point, and measuring strain relaxation at each drill depth increment to obtain principal residual stress magnitude and direction through defined integral or uniform stress calculation methods.

ASTM E 837 residual stress testing evaluates:

Near-surface residual stress magnitude and direction in metallic components and assemblies
Depth profile of residual stress distribution through defined incremental hole drilling
Principal residual stress determination from strain rosette relaxation measurement data
Residual stress in welded, heat-treated, machined, and surface-treated metallic components
Compliance against defined residual stress requirements for structural and fatigue applications

Applications

Welded structural components and pressure vessel residual stress assessment programs
Aerospace and defense component residual stress verification after manufacturing processes
Automotive component residual stress assessment for fatigue life and durability programs
Heat-treated, shot-peened, and surface-treated component residual stress characterization
Manufacturing process verification requiring residual stress measurement and control data

Benefits

Provides reliable near-surface residual stress data for component integrity assessment
Supports structural specification compliance and manufacturing process verification programs
Identifies unfavorable residual stress distributions before component deployment
Delivers traceable residual stress test records for engineering and research submissions
Reduces fatigue failure risk by verifying residual stress distribution early in the approval cycle

Test Process

Sample Preparation

Strain gage rosette attached to defined specimen surface location per ASTM E 837 requirements.

Incremental Hole Drilling

Blind hole incrementally drilled through rosette center at defined depth increments.

Strain Relaxation Measurement

Strain relaxation at each depth increment recorded from strain gage rosette output signals.

Data Analysis & Reporting

Residual stress calculated from strain data using defined methods and assessed for test compliance result.

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Details
Applicable Materials	Metallic components, weldments, and structural assemblies requiring residual stress measurement
Strain Gage Configuration	Three-element strain gage rosette per ASTM E 837 Type A or Type B configuration
Hole Drilling Conditions	Incremental blind hole drilling at 0.05 mm to 0.10 mm depth increments per ASTM E 837
Hole Diameter	1.6 mm to 4.0 mm nominal hole diameter per ASTM E 837 rosette and drill bit requirements
Measured Parameters	Strain relaxation at each depth increment and calculated principal residual stresses
Measured Outputs	Strain relaxation data, principal residual stresses, stress directions, and test compliance result

Instrumentation Used for Testing

Precision hole drilling system with defined drill bit geometry and speed control
Three-element strain gage rosette and signal conditioning instrumentation
High-speed drilling attachment for minimizing heat generation during hole drilling
Strain gage bonding and surface preparation equipment for rosette attachment
Specialist residual stress calculation software for integral and uniform stress methods
Data acquisition and test reporting system

Results and Deliverables

Strain relaxation measurements at each incremental hole depth for all tested components
Principal residual stress magnitudes and directions per ASTM E 837 calculation methods
Residual stress depth profile data across the incremental drilling depth range
Test compliance result assessed against residual stress specification requirements
ASTM E 837 residual stress test report

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Frequently Asked Questions

ASTM E831 includes a temperature range typically from -150°C to 600°C. The heating rate is around 1 to 10°C per minute. It also covers specimen length measurement, displacement sensitivity, and calculating the coefficient of thermal expansion using thermomechanical analysis.

ASTM D696 uses a temperature range typically from 30°C to 150°C. The heating rate is about 1 to 5°C per minute. It measures the change in specimen length and calculates the coefficient based on linear expansion over a defined temperature interval.

ASTM E831 and ASTM D696 provide the coefficient of linear thermal expansion in units of per degree Celsius (µm/m°C or ×10⁻⁶/°C). This value shows the change in length for each unit length with each degree of temperature change.

ASTM E831 and ASTM D696 normally use specimens that are 10 to 50 mm long. This size helps maintain uniform geometry and smooth surfaces. It ensures precise measurement of dimensional changes during temperature changes.

ASTM E831 uses thermomechanical analyzers with displacement sensors. ASTM D696 uses dilatometers with precision gauges. Both methods ensure reliable detection of small dimensional changes during controlled temperature exposure tests.