Tensile Testing Standards and Specifications

Tensile testing is a fundamental mechanical test where a material sample is subjected to

controlled tension until failure. The test measures the force required to break a specimen
and the extent to which the sample stretches or elongates in the process. This test data
shows ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, and Young’s modulus.

Various national and international standardization bodies have published procedures and
requirements for conducting tensile tests. These standards aim to ensure accurate and
consistent test results that are obtained using tensile strength machines.

Some key tensile testing standards are:

ASTM Standards
ASTM International, originally known as American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM),
is one of the largest voluntary standards organizations in the world.
Some key ASTM tensile standards are:

 ASTM D638 - Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics - Used for
testing rigid and semi-rigid plastics. Specifies test specimen dimensions, testing
speed, calculation methods etc.
 ASTM D882 - Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting -
Test procedure for thin plastic films and sheets up to 0.125 inches thick.
 ASTM D3039 - Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix
Composite Materials - Used for testing continuous fiber-reinforced polymer matrix
composites.
 ASTM E8/E8M - Standard Test Methods for Tension Testing of Metallic Materials -
Covers tension testing of metallic materials like steel, aluminum, copper etc.
 ASTM D2256 - Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Yarns by the Single-
Strand Method - Testing procedure for fibers, yarns and threads.
These ASTM standards provide details on test specimen shapes and sizes, testing apparatus,
test procedure, conditioning requirements, calculation formulas, and precision statements.

ISO Standards
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) publishes worldwide tensile
standards including:

 ISO 527 - Plastics - Determination of Tensile Properties - Testing processes for rigid,
semi-rigid and non-rigid plastics. Used globally as it covers metric (SI) units.
 ISO 6892 - Metallic Materials - Tensile Testing at Ambient Temperature - Test method
for determining tensile properties of metallic materials like rods, wires, sheets, etc.
 ISO 13934 - Textiles - Tensile Properties of Fabrics - Covers tensile testing including
stretch, strength, and elongation of textile fabrics.

The ISO standards provide a common testing methodology for global adoption and
harmonization. They are regularly reviewed and updated by experts.

Other Standards
Some other examples of tensile standards include:

 EN 10002 - Metallic Materials - Tensile Testing (British/European Standard)

 JIS Z2241 - Metallic Materials - Tensile Testing at Room Temperature (Japanese
Standard)
 DIN 50125 - Testing of Metallic Materials - Tensile Test Pieces (German Standard)
 IS 1608 - Metallic Materials - Tensile Testing (Indian Standard)
 GB/T 228.1 - Metallic Materials - Tensile Testing (Chinese Standard)
These regional standards are aligned with ISO standards but provide specifics tailored to the
country or region.

Specimen Considerations
The standards provide detailed instructions on selecting specimen forms - commonly round,
flat, sheet, or ring types. The shape and size vary based on material type and form. Critical
factors like surface finish, concentricity, alignment, and gauge length are specified.

For plastics, injection molded or machined dog bone-shaped samples with large ends for
gripping and a narrow center section for breaking are common. Metals are tested using
cylindrical, flat, or sheet specimens of standardized dimensions. Most standards also
indicate how many replicate specimens to test.

Test Conditions
Testing conditions like grip pressure, alignment, load cell requirements, strain rate and
environmental parameters are prescribed.
For plastics, common test speeds are 0.2 to 0.5 inches per minute until yield and then faster
to breakage. High strain rates can cause heating and affect results. Standards require
maintaining 23 ± 5°C temperature and 50 ± 10% relative humidity.

Test Reports
Standards mandate reporting key parameters like ultimate tensile strength, yield strength,
Young’s modulus, percent elongation, and breaking stress/load. They specify the use of
standard units like Pascal, MPa, or psi for reporting. Precision and bias statements guide
acceptance criteria when using laboratory testing machines.

By adhering to established testing standards, labs can produce accurate, reliable, and
comparable tensile data for materials research, product design, and quality control
purposes. The standards enable proper configuration and use of tensile testing machines
across different industries and global markets.

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