Designation: E 1922 – 97
Standard Test Method for
Translaminar Fracture Toughness of Laminated Polymer
Matrix Composite Materials
1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1922; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (
e
) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This test method covers the determination of translami-
nar fracture toughness,
K
TL
, for laminated polymer matrix
composite materials of various ply orientations using test
results from monotonically loaded notched specimens.
1.2 This test method is applicable to room temperature
laboratory air environments.
1.3 Composite materials that can be tested by this test
method are not limited by thickness or by type of polymer
matrix or fiber, provided that the specimen sizes and the test
results meet the requirements of this test method. This test
method was developed primarily from test results of various
carbon fiber – epoxy matrix laminates and from additional
results of glass fiber – epoxy matrix and carbon fiber –
bismaleimide matrix laminates
(1-4)
.
2
1.4 A range of eccentrically loaded, single-edge-notch ten-
sion, ESE(T), specimen sizes with proportional planar dimen-
sions is provided, but planar size may be variable and adjusted,
with associated changes in the applied test load. Specimen
thickness is a variable, independent of planar size.
1.5 Specimen configurations other than those contained in
this test method may be used, provided that stress intensity
calibrations are available and that the test results meet the
requirements of this test method. It is particularly important
that the requirements discussed in 5.1 and 5.4 regarding
contained notch-tip damage be met when using alternative
specimen configurations.
1.6 Values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
standard.
1.7
This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate
safety
and
health
practices
and
to
determine
the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1
ASTM Standards:
D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
3
D 3039 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer
Matrix Composite Materials
4
D 3878 Terminology of High-Modulus Reinforcing Fibers
and their Composites
4
D 5229 Test Method for Moisture Adsorption Properties
and Equilibrium Conditioning of Polymer Matrix Com-
posite Materials
4
D 5528 Test Method for Mode I Interlaminar Fracture
Toughness of Unidirectional Fiber-Reinforced Polymer
Matrix Composites
4
E 4 Practices for Force Verification of Testing Machines
5
E 6 Terminology Relating to Methods of Mechanical Test-
ing
5
E 83 Practice for Verification and Classification of Exten-
someters
5
E 399 Test Method for Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness of
Metallic Materials
5
