Composite

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

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