Composites Testing

Testing Solutions for the Composites Industry

Composites consist of two or more materials of different properties. The different materials remain separate but are bound together to give the composite unique mechanical properties. The greatest advantage of composite materials is strength and stiffness combined with lightness. Composites are widely used in airplanes. Wings, tail sections, internal structures, propellers and rotor blades are constructed from composite materials. Composite test specimens are commonly tested in tension, compression, and shear loading. ADMET offers electromechanical, servo hydraulic and fatigue testing systems with composite test fixtures conforming to industry standards.

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