The durometer hardness test is a test that provides an index of the quality of the material and some of its fundamental mechanical properties.

From the metallurgical point of view, the hardness is defined as the resistance to plastic deformation of a material to the penetration of a hard body, with a predetermined shape and dimensions. From the mechanical point of view the hardness is directly correlated to the tensile strength of the material.

The advantages of using the hardness test are as follows:

• the method does not require the use of test tubes, but can be done directly on the structural element in work;
• the piece on which the test is performed is not destroyed, therefore the methodology is non-invasive;
• it can be performed quickly.