ISO 13586 Plastics - Determination of Fracture Toughness (GIC and KIC) - Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) Approach

EUROLAB, with its state-of-the-art accredited laboratories and expert team, offers precise and rapid testing services within the scope of ISO 13586 testing. This standard covers the principles for determining the fracture toughness of plastics in crack opening mode (mode I) under defined conditions. In order to accommodate different types of equipment or different types of materials available, two testing methods with cracked samples have been defined; three-point bending tests and compact specimen tensile tests.

The methods are suitable for use with the following ranges of materials, including compounds containing short fibers of length ≤ 7,5 mm:

• Rigid and semi-rigid thermoplastic molding, extrusion and casting materials;
• Rigid and semi-rigid thermoset molding and casting materials.

It is generally known that short fiber lengths between 0,1 mm and 7,5 mm cause heterogeneity and anisotropy in the crack tip fracture process zone.

To ensure validity, certain restrictions are imposed on the linearity of the load-displacement diagram, sample width and thickness, since the scheme used assumes linear elastic behavior of the cracked material and plane deformation in the crack. Finally, the crack must be sharp enough so that an even sharper crack does not lead to significantly lower values ​​of the measured properties.

EUROLAB assists manufacturers with ISO 13586 test compliance. Our test experts, with their professional working mission and principles, provide you, our manufacturers and suppliers, the best service and controlled testing process in our laboratories. Thanks to these services, businesses receive more effective, high-performance and quality testing services and provide safe, fast and uninterrupted service to their customers.