Length x Width x Depth - 200 mm x 75 mm x Thickness of Sandwich Construction
Make sure to test at least five specimensper test condition.
Equipment and Apparatus:
Apparatus: Universal Testing Machine (UTM)
Figure 1: Universal Testing Machine (UTM)
Procedure:
Condition the specimen in a chamber if the test environment is not the same as a conditioned environment.
Measure the length, width and thickness at three places in the specimen.
Place the specimeninto the test fixture as shown in the equipment and apparatus section.
Attach the deflection transducer (if we choose to use one).
Apply a compressive force to the specimen until failure or until a deflection equal to the thickness is reached.
Variable
Quantity
Load rate
6mm/min
Failure occurence
3-6 minutes
Support bar separation
150 mm
Basic Description:
3-point or 4-point bend test
Figure 3: 3-Point Bend Test
Figure 4: 4-Point Bend Test
Reported during the test:
Force versus crosshead displacement, force versus deflection data continuously, or at frequent intervals (around 2-3 recordings per second, with a target minimum of 100 recorded data points)
If there are any initial failures, record force, displacement and mode of damage where the failure occurs.
Record mode, area and location of each failure.
Use the failure identification codes, shown in the figure below.
Record the max force, failure force, head displacement and the deflection at the moment of ultimate failure.
For ultimate failure modes, record the mode, area and location of ultimate failure for each material.
Special Alignment Jig as shown in the figure below.
Apparatus will be a compression test fixture as shown in the figures below.
Procedure:
Condition specimens
Apply strain gages/extensometers to both faces of the specimen(if we choose to).
Monitor test temperature using thermocouples (if we choose to).
If needed, move the testing machine crosshead to open the distance between the 2 housing blocks so both the upper and lower wedge rip assemblies may be accessed.
Close the upper grips manually to check the specimens vertical displacement. Do it with the lower grips as well. The upper grips should be in full contact with the wedge when closed. Repeat if we need to.
Attach strain transducers if they will be used. Then, attach the strain recording instrumentation to the strain gages or other transducers on the specimen. Then, remove any remaining preload and zero the transducer(s).
Apply the force to the fixture at the specified rate until failure while recording data.
Same as ASTM D3039 standard along with the following:
Equipment and Apparatus:
Same as ASTM D3039
Procedure:
Same as ASTM D3039 as well as:
This test will have normal strain instrumentation in both the longitudinal and transverse directions. It will also have a continuous/nearly continuous force normal strain data recording.