This document specifies methods for determining the compressive properties, in directions parallel to the plane of lamination, of fibre-reinforced plastic composites, based on thermosetting or thermoplastic matrices. The compressive properties are of interest for specifications and quality-control purposes. The test specimens are machined from a flat test plate, or from suitable finished or semi-finished products.

Two loading methods and two types of specimen are described.

The loading methods are:

—     Method 1: provides shear loading of the specimen (gauge length unsupported)

—     Method 2: provides combined loading of the specimen (gauge length unsupported)

NOTE          For tabbed specimens loaded using method 2, load is transferred through a combination of end-loading and shear-loading through the tabs.

The specimen designs are:

—     Type A specimen: rectangular cross-section, fixed thickness, end-tabbed (mainly for aerospace style preimpregnates (~ 0,125 mm ply thickness)

—     Type B specimen: rectangular cross-section, range of thicknesses, untabbed or end-tabbed, two specimen sizes are available (B1 and B2).

The Type A specimen is used for unidirectionally or biaxially reinforced materials tested in the fibre direction, where the fibres are normally either aligned continuous or aligned long (>7,5 mm) discontinuous. The Type B1 and B2 specimens are used for multi-directional aligned; mat, fabric and other multi-directionally reinforced materials where the fibre structure is more complex and/or coarser.

This document gives criteria for checking that the combination of test method and specimen design result in valid failures. It is noted that alternative test method/specimen combinations will not necessarily give the same result.

The methods specify required dimensions for the specimen. Tests carried out on specimens of other dimensions, or on specimens that are prepared under different conditions, can produce results that are not comparable. Other factors, such as the speed of testing, the support fixture used and the conditioning of the specimens, can influence the results.