Pendulum testing

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Pendulum Testing attempts at obtaining this value were done by means of a swing pendulum. A pendulum of a known weight is hoisted to a known height on the opposite side of a pivot point. By calculating the acceleration due to gravity (32.2 ft/sec2 or 9.8 m/sec2), the engineer knows that the weight falling from a set height will contain a certain amount of impact energy at the bottom of the swing. By clamping or supporting a specimen on the bottom, the sample can be released to strike and break the specimen. The pendulum will continue to swing up after the break event to a height somewhat lower than that of a free swing. The engineer can use this lower final height point to calculate the energy that was lost in breaking the specimen. Many pendulum machines will incorporate a pointer and energy reading device so that calculation is unnecessary.