ASTM D638-10

Designation:D638–10StandardTestMethodforTensilePropertiesofPlastics1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD638;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.ThisstandardhasbeenapprovedforusebyagenciesoftheDepartmentofDefense.1.Scope*1.1Thistestmethodcoversthedeterminationofthetensilepropertiesofunreinforcedandreinforcedplasticsintheformofstandarddumbbell-shapedtestspecimenswhentestedunderdefinedconditionsofpretreatment,temperature,humidity,andtestingmachinespeed.1.2Thistestmethodcanbeusedfortestingmaterialsofanythicknessupto14mm(0.55in.).However,fortestingspecimensintheformofthinsheeting,includingfilmlessthan1.0mm(0.04in.)inthickness,TestMethodsD882isthepreferredtestmethod.Materialswithathicknessgreaterthan14mm(0.55in.)mustbereducedbymachining.1.3ThistestmethodincludestheoptionofdeterminingPoisson’sratioatroomtemperature.NOTE1—ThistestmethodandISO527-1aretechnicallyequivalent.NOTE2—Thistestmethodisnotintendedtocoverprecisephysicalprocedures.Itisrecognizedthattheconstantrateofcrossheadmovementtypeoftestleavesmuchtobedesiredfromatheoreticalstandpoint,thatwidedifferencesmayexistbetweenrateofcrossheadmovementandrateofstrainbetweengagemarksonthespecimen,andthatthetestingspeedsspecifieddisguiseimportanteffectscharacteristicofmaterialsintheplasticstate.Further,itisrealizedthatvariationsinthethicknessesoftestspecimens,whicharepermittedbytheseprocedures,producevariationsinthesurface-volumeratiosofsuchspecimens,andthatthesevariationsmayinfluencethetestresults.Hence,wheredirectlycomparableresultsaredesired,allsamplesshouldbeofequalthickness.Specialadditionaltestsshouldbeusedwheremoreprecisephysicaldataareneeded.NOTE3—Thistestmethodmaybeusedfortestingphenolicmoldedresinorlaminatedmaterials.However,wherethesematerialsareusedaselectricalinsulation,suchmaterialsshouldbetestedinaccordancewithTestMethodsD229andTestMethodD651.NOTE4—Fortensilepropertiesofresin-matrixcompositesreinforcedwithorientedcontinuousordiscontinuoushighmodulus20-GPa[3.03106-psi)fibers,testsshallbemadeinaccordancewithTestMethodD3039/D3039M.1.4Testdataobtainedbythistestmethodarerelevantandappropriateforuseinengineeringdesign.1.5ThevaluesstatedinSIunitsaretoberegardedasstandard.Thevaluesgiveninparenthesesareforinformationonly.1.6Thisstandarddoesnotpurporttoaddressallofthesafetyconcerns,ifany,associatedwithitsuse.Itistheresponsibilityoftheuserofthisstandardtoestablishappro-priatesafetyandhealthpracticesanddeterminetheapplica-bilityofregulatorylimitationspriortouse.2.ReferencedDocuments2.1ASTMStandards:2D229TestMethodsforRigidSheetandPlateMaterialsUsedforElectricalInsulationD412TestMethodsforVulcanizedRubberandThermo-plasticElastomers—TensionD618PracticeforConditioningPlasticsforTestingD651MethodofTestforTensileStrengthofMoldedElectricalInsulatingMaterial3D882TestMethodforTensilePropertiesofThinPlasticSheetingD883TerminologyRelatingtoPlasticsD1822TestMethodforTensile-ImpactEnergytoBreakPlasticsandElectricalInsulatingMaterialsD3039/D3039MTestMethodforTensilePropertiesofPolymerMatrixCompositeMaterialsD4000ClassificationSystemforSpecifyingPlasticMateri-alsD4066ClassificationSystemforNylonInjectionandEx-trusionMaterials(PA)D5947TestMethodsforPhysicalDimensionsofSolidPlasticsSpecimensE4PracticesforForceVerificationofTestingMachinesE83PracticeforVerificationandClassificationofExten-someterSystemsE132TestMethodforPoisson’sRatioatRoomTempera-ture1ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD20onPlasticsandisthedirectresponsibilityofSubcommitteeD20.10onMechanicalProperties.CurrenteditionapprovedMay15,2010.PublishedJune2010.Originallyapprovedin1941.Lastpreviouseditionapprovedin2008asD638-08.DOI:10.1520/D0638-10.2ForreferencedASTMstandards,visittheASTMwebsite,@astm.org.ForAnnualBookofASTMStandardsvolumeinformation,refertothestandard’sDocumentSummarypageontheASTMwebsite.3Withdrawn.Thelastapprovedversionofthishistoricalstandardisreferencedon*ASummaryofChangessectionappearsattheendofthisstandard.Copyright(C)ASTMInternational.100BarrHarbourDrive,POBoxC-700,WestConshohockenPennsylvania19428-2959,UnitedStatesCopyrightbyASTMInt'l(allrightsreserved);TueOct1218:57:43EDT2010Downloaded/printedbyUniversityofAucklandLibrarypursuanttoLicenseAgreement.Nofurtherreproductionsauthorized.char12FontTimes-BoldColorredPos1010CenteronThisstandardisforEDUCATIONALUSEONLY.E691PracticeforConductinganInterlaboratoryStudytoDeterminethePrecisionofaTestMethod2.2ISOStandard:4ISO527-1DeterminationofTensileProperties3.Terminology3.1Definitions—DefinitionsoftermsapplyingtothistestmethodappearinTerminologyD883andAnnexA2.4.SignificanceandUse4.1Thistestmethodisdesignedtoproducetensilepropertydataforthecontrolandspecificationofplasticmaterials.Thesedataarealsousefulforqualitativecharacterizationandforresearchanddevelopment.Formanymateria