BENDING STRENGTH

Given the slimness of ceramic tiles, which have large length and width
dimensions in respect to thickness, bending strength is indicative of the mechanical
strength of the tile as a whole in relation to aggressions of differing nature, such as live
and dead loads, rolling actions, and impacts.
Standard EN 14411 envisages two magnitudes for the evaluation of mechanical
strength:

Breaking strength, in direct relation to the load applied on to the tile, with a
corrective coefficient that relates the distance between supports and the
width of the test piece, expressed in Newtons (N). The result of the test is a
function of tile thickness for the same type of material.
The modulus of rupture, also termed bending strength, which is derived
from the magnitude breaking strength by a mathematical formula [breaking
strength divided by the square of the minimum thickness at the rupture
cross-section]. The result of the test, expressed in Newtons per square
millimetre (N/mm2), provides the approximate mechanical strength of the
ceramic tile independently of tile thickness.

Breaking strength is an essential characteristic that the manufacturer shall state

in every case, also on the C mark for tiles that are not first-quality tiles.
Bending strength according to ISO 10545-4
International standard ISO 10545-4 establishes a test method for the
determination of bending strength or modulus of rupture, and breaking strength for all
types of ceramic tiles. The modulus of rupture is only measured in tiles whose breaking
strength is below 3000 N (Newtons). The test method envisages the following
magnitudes:

Physico-chemical characteristics
Bending strength

CODE

CHARACTERISTIC

Breaking load

Breaking load on
entire piece

Breaking strength

DEFINITION
Force necessary to cause the test piece to break,
expressed in Newtons (N), according to a pressure
gauge reading.
In this case the test is conducted on the entire tile,
this being the most representative test.
Force expressed in Newtons (N), obtained by
multiplying the breaking load (F) by the ratio of the
distance between the supporting rollers (L in mm)
and the width of the test piece (b in mm).
Breaking
strength

Bending strength
or
Modulus of rupture

S= F

L
b

(in Newtons)

Magnitude expressed in Newtons per square

millimetre (N/mm2), obtained by dividing the
breaking strength by the square of the minimum
thickness at the rupture cross-section.

Bending
strength

R=

3FL
3S
2 =
2bh
2h 2

(in N/mm2)

Note: The modulus of rupture is an intrinsic tile characteristic; i.e. two ceramic tiles

made by the same process and differing solely in thickness will have the same
modulus of rupture, even though the force required to break them is much larger
in the thicker tile.
Of the foregoing definitions, the tile fixer needs to remember breaking strength
(S), expressed in Newtons (N), and bending strength or modulus of rupture (R),
expressed in Newtons per square millimetre (N/mm2). Both magnitudes shall be stated
in the technical documentation supplied by the manufacturer and, in addition, are part of
the C mark and label, according to Annexes ZA and ZB of standard EN 14411:

Physico-chemical characteristics
Bending strength

When tiles are intended for roofing, breaking strength or bending strength
shall be stated.
When tiles are intended for flooring, breaking strength shall be stated.

The formulas given above have an experimental character, in which:

L: distance or span between the supporting rollers
b: test piece width
h: minimum thickness, expressed in millimetres, of the test piece at the rupture
cross-section, measured after the test
The bending strength calculation is based on a rectangular cross-section. In the
case of tiles with non-uniform thickness, the minimum thickness measurement at the
rupture cross-section only provides approximate results. The less pronounced is the
relief, the closer is the approximation.

Apparatus for the breaking load test

Physico-chemical characteristics
Bending strength

Minimum values required by standard EN 14411

REQUIRABLE MINIMUM VALUES FOR BREAKING STRENGTH AND MODULUS OF RUPTURE IN EXTRUDED TILES

PRODUCT GROUP

ISO 10.545-4
Breaking strength

tiles of thickness 7,5 mm

tiles of thickness < 7.5 mm

Modulus of rupture (**)

AIa

AIb

AIIa-1

AIIa-2

AIIb-1

AIIb-2

AIII

1.300
600
28/21(*)

1.100
600
23/18

950
600
20/18

800
600
13/11

900
900
17,5/15

750
750
9/8

600
600
8/7

REQUIRABLE MINIMUM VALUES FOR BREAKING STRENGTH AND MODULUS OF RUPTURE

IN PRESSED TILES

PRODUCT GROUP

ISO 10.545-4
Breaking strength

tiles of thickness 7.5 mm

tiles of thickness < 7.5 mm

Modulus of rupture (**)

tiles of thickness 7.5 mm

tiles of thickness < 7.5 mm

BIa

BIb

BIIa

BIIb

BIII

1.300
700

1.100
700

1.000
600

800
500

600
200

35/32
35/32

30/27
30/27

22/20
22/20

18/16
18/16

12
15

(*) Average value/smallest value of the sampling

(**) Not applicable to tiles with breaking strength 3000 N
Modulus of Rupture = Bending Strength

In the documentation of the Tile Installation Project [Instituto de Promocin

Cermica, CD-ROM Gua Electrnica de la Tecnologa de Colocacin de Baldosas
Cermicas, 1997], it was advised, as an orientation, to assign minimum bending
strength values based on intended tile use:

C (or S)(*) 450 N in tiles intended for wall cladding

C (or S) 900 N in tiles intended for flooring with exclusively pedestrian
traffic
C (or S) > 2000 N in tiles intended for flooring with not exclusively
pedestrian traffic
(*) C is the breaking load (indicated by the dynamometer at the moment of rupture), when
the test is performed on the entire tile
S is the breaking strength, as defined in standard test method ISO 10545-4, on a test
piece cut from an entire tile, derived from the expression:
F

S=Fx

L
(in Newtons) where :
B

Physico-chemical characteristics
Bending strength

L
B

is the breaking load of the cut test piece

(in N)
is the distance between the supporting
rollers (in mm)
is test piece width (in mm)

In flooring subject to not exclusively pedestrian traffic, with important live and
dead loads (for example, mechanical or hand pallet cars with narrow wheels), it is the
specifications writer who should determine the minimum requirable breaking strength
or load, and the tile installation materials and technique, as well as the hand-over
conditions and performance requirements of the substrate, and recommend:

Selection of tiles smaller than 30x30 cm

Minimum thickness of at least 11 mm
Modulus of rupture of at least 27 N/mm2 (AIa, AIb, BIa or BIb tiles)
Selection of unglazed tiles (UGL)
If possible, meeting code P4s requirements according to the French NFUPEC classification

Physico-chemical characteristics
Bending strength