This test method is designed to produce through-thickness failure data for structural design and analysis, quality assurance, and research and development. Factors that influence the through-thickness tensile strength, and should therefore be reported, include the following: material and fabric reinforcement, methods of material and fabric preparation, methods of processing and specimen fabrication, specimen stacking sequence, specimen conditioning, environment of testing, specimen alignment, speed of testing, time at temperature, void content, and volume reinforcement content.

1. Scope

1.1 This test method determines the through-thickness "flatwise" tension strength and elastic modulus of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite materials. A tensile force is applied normal to the plane of the composite laminate using adhesively bonded thick metal end-tabs. The composite material forms are limited to continuous-fiber or discontinuous fiber (tape or 2-dimensional fabric, or both) reinforced composites.

1.2 The through-thickness strength results using this test method will in general not be comparable to Test Method D 6415 since this method subjects a relatively large volume of material to an almost uniform stress field while Test Method D 6415 subjects a small volume of material to a non-uniform stress field.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.4 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. Within the text, the inch-pound units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

D792 Test Methods for Density and Specific Gravity (Relative Density) of Plastics by Displacement

D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics

D3171 Test Methods for Constituent Content of Composite Materials

D3878 Terminology for Composite Materials

D5229/D5229M Test Method for Moisture Absorption Properties and Equilibrium Conditioning of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials

D5687/D5687M Guide for Preparation of Flat Composite Panels with Processing Guidelines for Specimen Preparation

D6415 Test Method for Measuring the Curved Beam Strength of a Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composite

E4 Practices for Force Verification of Testing Machines

E6 Terminology Relating to Methods of Mechanical Testing

E122 Practice for Calculating Sample Size to Estimate, With Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic of a Lot or Process

E177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in ASTM Test Methods

E251 Test Methods for Performance Characteristics of Metallic Bonded Resistance Strain Gauges

E456 Terminology Relating to Quality and Statistics

E1012 Practice for Verification of Testing Frame and Specimen Alignment Under Tensile and Compressive Axial Force Application

E1309 Guide for Identification of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composite Materials in Databases

E1434 Guide for Recording Mechanical Test Data of Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials in Databases

E1471 Guide for Identification of Fibers, Fillers, and Core Materials in Computerized Material Property Databases

Keywords

composite materials; flatwise tension strength; interlaminar tensile strength; out-of-plane tension; through-thickness modulus of elasticity; through-thickness strength;

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 83.120 (Reinforced plastics)

Citing ASTM Standards

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