MECHANICAL TESTING

Tensile Testing of Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic Rod - ASTM D 3916

"Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Pultruded Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Rod"
ASTM D 3916 is used to determine the tensile properties of pultruded, glass-fiber-reinforced thermosetting plastic rod in diameters ranging from 3.2 mm (1.8 in.) to 25.4 mm (1 in.).

The high axial-tensile strength and the low transverse-compressive strength of pultruded rod combine to present some unique problems in determining the tensile strength of this material with conventional test grips. The high transverse-compressive forces generated in the conventional method of gripping tend to crush the rod, thereby causing premature failure.

In this test method, aluminum-alloy tabs contoured to the shape of the rod reduce the compressive forces imparted to the rod, thus overcoming the deleterious influence of conventional test grips.

Index of Mechanical Testing