Design and Testing

The short beam shear test

Dr. Don Adams (Wyoming Test Fixtures Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah) discusses short beam shear testing methodology.

Read More
Aerospace

Fastener shear test methods

Dr. Donald Adams (Wyoming Test Fixtures, Salt Lake City, Utah) appraises existing methods for testing the performance of fasteners loaded in transverse shear.

Read More

Guide for Testing Polymer Matrix Composite Materials

Dr. Donald Adams offers insight into ASTM D 4762, a compendium of knowledge about standards relevant to testing polymer composites.

Read More

Block shear strength of adhesive bonds

Dr. Don Adams describes two methods (ASTM D 905 and ASTM D 4501) for loading adhesive bonds in direct shear while minimizing undesirable peel and through-thickness tensile stresses.

Read More

Additional grip types for tensile test specimens

Dr. Don Adams follows up a previous discussion of wedge grips for testing tensile specimens with a sampling of other grip types.

Read More

Shear test methods: Iosipescu vs. V-Notched Rail

Dr. Don Adams asks and suggests a likely answer to the question Which shear test method is best?

Read More

A comparison of shear test methods

Dr. Don Adams compares the shear test methods that are currently available to the composite industry.

Read More

V-Notch Rail Shear test (ASTM D 7078-05)

Dr. Don Adams introduces HPC readers to the The V-Notched Rail shear test method, approved as ASTM Standard D 7078-05 by ASTM Committee D-30 in March of 2005.

Read More
Adhesives

Direct measurement of laminate through-thickness tensile strength

Although there are indirect methods for determining the through-thickness tensile strength of a solid laminate direct loading can be achieved, using ASTM test methods.

Read More

Mixed-mode fracture toughness of composites

During the 1970s, fracture toughness testing of composite materials developed a very poor reputation, primarily due to failed attempts to directly adopt metals theory and corresponding test methods. However, the basic principles of fracture mechanics remained valid.

Read More