Why & How to Test Composites?
Composites Testing is performed to determine material properties, reliability, and damage tolerance. Other testing is done to study the effects of variables on the materials.
Material Properties
Structural variables such as fiber orientation, fiber volume fraction, laminate thickness, and core density; and processing variables such as layup accuracy, curing temperature and pressure, can have a dramatic affect on the mechanical properties of composite materials.
Mechanical and process testing is necessary to understand the effect these variables have on finished material or component.
Reliability and repeatability of component properties must be proven through testing to ensure optimal service in high performance applications in aerospace, automotive, and motorsport applications.
Testing is necessary to simulate real-life conditions such as impact on components from dropped tools, minor accidents, and manufacturing imperfections. Testing is performed to investigate variables that can affect mechanical properties and damage tolerance, and to provide data for use in finite element analysis.
Composites are widely used in airplanes. Wings, tail sections, internal structures, propellers and rotor blades are constructed from composite materials. PARSROS offers electromechanical, servo hydraulic and fatigue testing systems that are well suited for testing composite materials. Refer to the Test Methods that are listed of common ASTM specifications that PARSROS Materials Testing Systems are capable of performing.
Common Testing Standards for Composites Include
ASTM C273 – Standard Test Method for Shear Properties of Sandwich Core Materials
ASTM C297 – Standard Test Method for Flatwise Tensile Strength of Sandwich Constructions
ASTM C365 – Standard Test Method for Flatwise Compressive Properties of Sandwich Cores
ASTM C393 – Standard Test Method for Core Shear Properties of Sandwich Constructions by Beam Flexure
ASTM D2344 – Standard Test Method for Short-Beam Strength of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials and Their Laminates
ASTM D3039 – Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials
ASTM D3410 – Standard Test Method for Compressive Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials with Unsupported Gage Section by Shear Loading
ASTM D3518 – Standard Test Method for In-Plane Shear Response of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials by Tensile Test of a ±45° Laminate
ASTM D5379 – Standard Test Method for Shear Properties of Composite Materials by the V-Notched Beam Method
ASTM D5528 – Standard Test Method for Mode I Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Unidirectional Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites
ASTM D5961 – Standard Test Method for Bearing Response of Polymer Matrix Composite Laminates
ASTM D6415 – Standard Test Method for Measuring the Curved Beam Strength of a Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composite
ASTM D6641 – Standard Test Method for Compressive Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials Using a Combined Loading Compression (CLC) Test Fixture
ASTM D6671 – Standard Test Method for Mixed Mode I-Mode II Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Unidirectional Fiber Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites
ASTM D7137 – Standard Test Method for Compressive Residual Strength Properties of Damaged Polymer Matrix Composite Plates
ASTM D7264 – Standard Test Method for Flexural Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials