Test Plan for T joints

Procedure for General testing: T joints

Test Specimen Requirements:

• At least test 3 specimens for each design

• Specimen Dimensions: T joint with 9.5mm divinycell foam core, 2 layers of 6oz twill carbon fiber enclosing the top and bottom of the foam core.

• Measure Length, Width, Height: These are total length and width of the joint, and height is measured from bottom skin of flange to top of the web. If base flange and web are not of the same size, measure the dimensions accordingly.

Equipment Needed:

• Instron Universal Testing Machine

• Micrometers and/or calipers

• Fixtures if needed – Need to manufacture, or check testing equipment if we have something similar to clamp it down.

• Deflectometer/Deflection gages (ONLY if UTM can’t measure the displacement)

Procedures for Bend Test:

1. Condition the specimens in the same room temperature, and ensure they are cured with the proper duration and temperature before test analysis

2. Measure the length, width, depth of the specimen

3. Place the specimen onto the test fixture as shown below. Ensure that the 2 ends of the joint are properly clamped, and the compressive load will be directed at the same point for all the specimens

4. Attach a deflection transducer if necessary. UTM will most likely calculate it already.

5. Apply a line of compressive force onto the branch of the T joint until failure or after exceeding a displacement of 20mm. Figure below shows where the load should be applied. Taking note that the distance at which this load is applied to should be consistent.

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Procedure for Pull off test:

1. Condition the specimens in the same room temperature, and ensure they are cured with the proper duration and temperature before test analysis

2. Measure the length, width, depth of the specimen

3. Place the specimen onto the test fixture as shown below. Ensure that the 2 ends of the joint are properly clamped, and the tensile load is clamped properly onto the test specimen at a 90 degree angle.

4. Attach a deflection transducer if necessary. UTM will most likely calculate it already.

5. Apply a tensile load onto the branch of the T joint until failure or after exceeding a displacement of 30mm. The experiment is supposed to pull the ‘branch’ of the specimen away from the test fixture.

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For both experiments the only variable would be the cross head displacement:

This is an example of a Universal testing machine that would be used for this experiment.