Jul 26, 2016

Aluminum sheet products are used around the world in a wide array of applications, from aircraft, automobiles and light rail cars to cans, foil and building materials. The standard that describes shear testing for such aluminum sheets, B831, Test Method for Shear Testing of Thin Aluminum Alloy Products, has recently been revised to including testing procedures for a wider range of uses.

"B831 originally covered thin wrought and cast aluminum alloy products mainly used for aerospace applications in which shear strength is a major concern," says ASTM member Jidong Kang, research scientist, Natural Resources Canada. "With this revision, the coverage will be greatly extended to many other applications, in particular the automotive industry, where aluminum alloys are increasingly being used for making structural components lighter in weight."

The major change to B831 is a new appendix that was created to describe a novel shear test sample geometry and incorporation of digital image correlation for shear strain measurement. As Kang describes it, the appendix "provides an advanced method of determining shear stress – shear strain behavior of aluminum alloys using digital image correlation and a modified specimen design."

According to Kang, B831 will be used in the following ways:

B831 is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee B07.05 on Testing, part of ASTM International Committee B07 on Light Metals and Alloys. All interested parties are invited to join in the standards developing activities of B07.05.

To purchase ASTM standards, visit www.astm.org and search by the standard designation, or contact ASTM Sales (phone: 877-909-ASTM; sales@astm.org).

CONTACT Technical Information: Jidong Kang, Natural Resources Canada • Hamilton, Ontario, Canada • tel +1.905.645.0820 | ASTM Staff: Kristy Straiton • tel +1.610.832.9640 | Upcoming Meeting: May 18-20, 2015 • May Committee Week • Anaheim, Calif.