Various Testing Methods of

Composites

By
Rupayan Roy
 Why Tests are Required

• Tests done to determine intrinsic material

properties such as modulus and strength for use
in design and analysis (major emphasis here)

• Tests done to determine quality or acceptability of

specific components during manufacturing (minor
emphasis here)
 Different tests for Composites
Tensile
Compression
Shear
Bending
Fracture Toughness
Open hole tension test
Bearing test
Interfacial shear strength
Impact
 Tensile Testing

– Purpose of tensile test

• To determine the strength, moduli and Poison’s ratio of
a composite
– For a unidirectional composite, Ex, Ey, Es and nxy
• To determine the energy absorption of a composite
• It can also be used to assess fatigue properties by cyclic
loading of a specimen
Contd…

Tensile testing utilizes the classical coupon test

geometry as shown in fig. and consists of two
regions: a central region called the gauge
length, within which failure is expected to
occur, and the two end regions which are
clamped into a grip mechanism connected to a
test machine
 Compression Testing

The most widely used compressive test

technique is the Celanese fixture,
Cylindrical in design, a small specimen sits
within a set of trapezoidal grips, encased in
collars and an alignment shell. The gauge
length depends on the type of test material
and varies between 12.7mm for longitudinal
specimens and 6mm for transverse specimens
 Neat resin compression specimen support jig

Support jig for D695-10 compressive test specimen. (From ASTM Standard
D695-02a. Copyright ASTM International. Reprinted with permission.)
 Compression test fixture for neat resin specimen

Compression fixture with ball-and-socket joint to minimize bending.

(From ASTM Standard D695-10. Copyright ASTM International.
Reprinted with permission.)
 Specimen for measurement of neat resin
compressive properties Em and Sm1(-)

Neat resin compressive test specimen. (From ASTM Standard D695-10.

Copyright ASTM International. Reprinted with permission.)
ASTM D2344/D2344M-00 Short beam shear test
for interlaminar strength (parallel fibers)
P

Note: not recommended for measurement of intrinsic

properties, only for quality control and specification
Short beam test specimen with
shear and moment diagrams

Mechanics of
materials stresses

Shear stress
VQ
 xy 
Ib

Bending stress
Mz
x 
I yy
 Short beam shear test

• Short beam fails due to interlaminar shear stress

• Long beam fails due to either tensile or compressive
normal stress on bottom or top of beam, respectively
• Questions about accuracy of mechanics of materials
beam theory equations for stresses in short beams
where support effects may not be negligible
(Whitney’s theory of elasticity analysis)
Interlaminar Fracture Tests
DCB analysis – treat one half of DCB as cantilever beam
(ASTM D5528-01 (2007)e3)

Mode I strain energy release rate

P 2 s 96 P 2a 2
GI  
2t a Efxt 2h3
 Mixed mode bending (MMB) test for Mode I
and Mode II delamination testing
(ASTM Standard D6671)

Test fixture for MMB test. (From ASTM Standard D6671/D6671M-06.

Copyright ASTM International. Reprinted with permission.)
 Single fiber fragmentation specimen for
measurement of fiber/matrix interfacial
shear strength

Test procedure: Load specimen until fiber starts to break up into

fragments, then measure “critical lengths” of fragments, then
calculate interfacial shear strength from theory of discontinuous
fiber composites developed

Single-fiber fragmentation specimen developed by Drzal et al. (From Drzal, L.T.,

Rich, M.J., and Lloyd, P.F. 1982. Journal of Adhesion, 16, 1–30.; Drzal, L.T., Rich, M.J.,
Koenig, M.F., and Lloyd, P.F. 1983. Journal of Adhesion 16, 133–152. With permission.)
 Microindenter test for fiber/matrix
interfacial shear strength

Test procedure: Load end of fiber in compression with microindenter probe

until fiber slips with respect to matrix, then use finite element analysis of
specimen to estimatefiber/matrix interfacial shear strength

Microindenter test for fiber/matrix interfacial strength. (From Mandell, J.F., Grande, D.H.,
Tsiang, T.H., and McGarry, F.J. 1986. Composite Materials: Testing and Design (Seventh
Conference), ASTM STP 893, pp. 87–108. American Society for Testing and Materials,
Philadelphia, PA. Copyright ASTM. Reprinted with permission.)
 Microbond test for fiber/matrix
interfacial shear strength

fiber embedded in
resin droplet
resin droplet
applied tensile force

Problem: Difficult to reproduce the composite

resin matrix cure condition in a small droplet.
Source: From McDonough, W.G., Herrera-Franco, P.J., Wu, W.L., Drzal, L.T., and
Hunston, D.L. 1991. In Advanced Materials/Affordable Processes, Proceedings of
23rd International SAMPE Technical Conference, Kiamesha Lake, NY, pp. 247–258.
Society for Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, Covina, CA. Reprinted
by permission of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering.
 ASTM D5766 open hole tension test – similar to
ASTM D3039 tensile test, but with central hole

(a)

(b) (c) (d)

Acceptable test failure modes for ASTM D 5766/D 5766M-07 standard test method
for open hole tensile strength (a) failure mode codes (b) LGM (c) AGM (d) MGM.
(From ASTM D5766/D5766M-07. 2009. Copyright ASTM International. Reprinted
with permission.)
 ASTM D5961 bearing test – Procedure A

Fixture assembly for ASTM D5961/D5961M-08 (Procedure A) double shear test

method for bearing response of polymer matrix composite laminates. (From
ASTM D5961/D5961M-08. 2009. Copyright ASTM International. Reprinted
with permission.)
 Low velocity Impact Test

 ASTM D 3763
 Samples of size 16 cm * 16 cm
 Impactor diameter- 13mm
 Speed 6 ms–1
 Conclusion

There are several methods of testing of composite. Testing should be carried out
according to the requirement of end use. But there are few common tests like
tensile, bending, compression, and share. And yarn pull out, impact resistance
puncture resistance, bearing test etc., which are carried out according to the
specific requirements.
References

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Thank You