Steel strength testing for in situ by Brinell hardness method

This study investigates the feasibility of using a portable Brinell hardness test apparatus (PBHTA) for in situ mechanical property assessment of Q235 and Q345 structural steels. Steel samples were tested using PBHTA and compared with laboratory-based Brinell hardness and tensile strength tests. The results show strong exponential correlations between Brinell hardness and both yield strength (fy) and ultimate tensile strength (fu), with R2 values of 0.8255 and 0.7428, respectively. The mean errors in estimating in situ yield strength and tensile strength were 3.2% and 1.6%, respectively. These findings demonstrate that PBHTA provides a minimally destructive, reliable, and efficient method for evaluating structural steel properties directly on-site, facilitating the rapid assessment and retrofitting of existing steel structures.