Tensile and Flexural

Tensile and Flexural Test Methods

Two of the most common test requests at a material lab, Tensile and Flexural tests determine the strength of a particular material under stress.

Conventional ASTM Standards:

D638-14, D412-16, D790-17

D638-14

This standard is a measurement of a polymer material’s ability to resist forces that pull it apart and analyze to what extent the material stretches before it fails and breaks.

The following data can be inferred from the test:

• Modulus of Elasticity
• Tensile strength at yield
• Tensile strength at break
• Strain
• Elongation and percent elongation at yield
• Elongation and percent elongation at break
• Nominal strain
• Nominal strain at break

D412-16

This standard determined the tensile properties for vulcanized rubber and thermoplastic elastomers. The test evaluates the test sample during and after stretching.

The following data can be analyzed from the results:

• Tensile stress
• Tensile strength
• Yield stress
• Yield strain
• Elongation
• Ultimate elongation
• Tensile set

D790-17

This standard determines the flexural properties of unreinforced and reinforced plastics. A material’s flexural strength is the ability of the material to withstand bending forces applied perpendicular to its longitudinal axis.

The following data can be analyzed:

• Flexural Stress
• Flexural Strength
• Flexural Offset Yield Strength
• Flexural Stress at Break
• Stress at a given Strain
• Flexural Strain
• Modulus of Elasticity:
  • Tangent Modulus of Elasticity
  • Secant Modulus
  • Chord Modulus