BS EN ISO 178:2010+A1:2013

1.1 This International Standard specifies a method for determining the flexural properties of rigid (see 3.12) and semi-rigid plastics under defined conditions. A standard test specimen is defined, but parameters are included for alternative specimen sizes for use where appropriate. A range of test speeds is included.

1.2 The method is used to investigate the flexural behaviour of the test specimens and to determine the flexural strength, flexural modulus and other aspects of the flexural stress/strain relationship under the conditions defined. It applies to a freely supported beam, loaded at midspan (three-point loading test).

1.3 The method is suitable for use with the following range of materials:

• thermoplastic moulding, extrusion and casting materi als, including filled and reinforced compounds in addition to unfilled types; rigid thermoplastics sheets;

• thermosetting moulding materials, including filled and reinforced compounds; thermosetting sheets.

In agreement with ISO 10350-1[5] and ISO 10350-2[6], this International Standard applies to fibre-reinforced compounds with fibre lengths u 7,5 mm prior to processing. For long-fibre-reinforced materials (laminates) with fibre lengths > 7,5 mm, see ISO 14125[7].

The method is not normally suitable for use with rigid cellular materials or sandwich structures containing cellular material. In such cases, ISO 1209-1[3] and/or ISO 1209-2[4] can be used.

NOTE For certain types of textile-fibre-reinforced plastic, a four-point bending test is preferred. This is described in ISO 14125.

1.4 The method is performed using specimens which may be either moulded to the specified dimensions, machined from the central section of a standard multipurpose test specimen (see ISO 20753) or machined from finished or semi-finished products, such as mouldings, laminates, or extruded or cast sheet.

1.5 The method specifies the preferred dimensions for the test specimen. Tests which are carried out on specimens of different dimensions, or on specimens which are prepared under different conditions, can produce results which are not comparable. Other factors, such as the test speed and the conditioning of the specimens, can also influence the results.

NOTE Especially for semi-crystalline polymers, the thickness of the oriented skin la yer, which is dependent on the moulding conditions, also affects the flexural properties.

1.6 The method is not suitable for the determination of design parameters but can be used in materials testing and as a quality control test.

1.7 For materials exhibiting non-linear stress/strain behaviour, the flexural properties are only nominal. The equations given have been derived assuming linear elastic behaviour and are valid for deflections of the specimen that are small compared to its thickness. With the preferred specimen (which measures 80 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm) at the conventional flexural strain of 3,5 % and a span-to-thickness ratio, L/h, of 16, the deflection is 1,5h. Flexural tests are more appropriate for stiff and brittle materials showing small deflections at break than for very soft and ductile ones.

1.8 Contrary to the previous editions of this International Standard, this edition specifies two methods, method A and method B. Method A is identical to the method in previous editions of this International Standard, i.e. it uses a strain rate of 1 %/min throughout the test. Method B uses two different strain rates: 1 %/min for the determination of the flexural modulus and 5 %/min or 50 %/min, depending on the ductility of the material, for the determination of the remainder of the flexural stress-strain curve.