Testing to ASTM D 1621 - Standard Test Method for Compressive Properties of Rigid Cellular Plastics and
ISO844 - Rigid Cellular Plastics - Determination of Compression Properties
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The compressive strength of a cellular material is determined by applying load to a test specimen with a square or circular cross section. These test specimens are carefully prepared so the faces are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the sides.
The test specimens must be conditioned for no less than 40 hours at 23± 2ºC (73.4± 3.6ºF) and 50% ± 5% relative humidity. Touchstone has a large environmental chamber (photo on right) capable of conditioning a wide range of sample sizes.
The test specimens are centered between two compression platens (photo below left) and load is applied at a constant crosshead or actuator rate of 2.5 ± 0.25 mm (0.1± 0.01 in/min) for each 25 mm (1.0 in.) of specimen thickness (example: a 2.0 in thick specimen would be run with a test speed of 0.2 in/min.).
Crosshead travel (displacement, in.) and load (lbf) are recorded throughout the test. Compressive strength can be determined in one of two manners depending on the characteristics of the stress-displacement curve.
Touchstone also has a compression fixture which utilizes a “follower” system which moves relative to the top and bottom compression platens (photo below right). An extensometer can be attached to the follower and a stress vs. strain curve can be generated.
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