RUN ALL TESTS WITH MACHINE SET IN HIGH CLUTCH
COMPOSITE and POLYMER TENSILE TESTING
COMPOSITES
Bluehill Test Method: Tension_Flat_SLOW
Measure width & thickness.
Orientation angles are relative to the axis of the sheet:
Specimen Info: Gage length and Orientation angle.
Color codes:
0˚: Black
45˚: Orange
Use a Sharpie Marker
90˚: Blue
to mark the transition
G-10 is green-white or dark yellow.
from the fillet to the
gage length at each end
GPO-3 is red.
of the specimen. The
Test G-10: 0˚ & 90˚ in pairs (A&B; C&D).
distance between the
Test GPO-3: 0˚ & 90˚ in pairs.
lines is the gage length
Test the 45˚ specimens in pairs.
of the specimen.
Install extensometer.
Crosshead speed: 4 mm/min
Use a Sharpie Marker to label each end
Filename: See Header Sheet
of the specimen with the composite
Load vs. Strain will be plotted.
angle or the polymer crosshead rate.
Polymers: HDPE, Lexan (polycarbonate) Set top mechanical stop to max on Instron.
Check HIGH CLUTCH before running any polymer sample.
Bluehill Test Method: SEE TABLE BELOW (SLOW or FAST data acquisition rate)
Install extensometer. (Data for initial modulus.)
End color codes: HDPE: black, Lexan: red.
Specimen Info: Gage Length and Crosshead rate.
Crosshead speeds (mm/min):
Machine
HDPE
Lexan
A
S:
F:
B
10
20
F:
F:
C
500 F:
5 F:
D
100 S:
2 F:
20
100
On-line
1
5
1
500
S: Tension_Flat_SLOW (2 Hz data rate)
F: Tension_Flat_FAST (10 Hz data rate)
Run in sequence from lowest to highest rate.
Filename: See Header Sheet. Load vs. Strain will be plotted initially.
Remove extensometer after initial linear region and switch x-axis of plot to
“Corrected Position”.
J. Williams & D. Farrow-MTIL-UIUC COE ©Board of Trustees-University of Illinois