How to Determine Fiberglass Tensile Strength
Tensile strength is the maximum stress applied to a material before it breaks. Although the tensile strength of materials will be different based upon their compositions, the method and formula used to measure tensile strength is the same. A Universal Testing Machine (UTM), composed of a loading unit and a control unit, is used to test any solid, including fiberglass. The loading unit holds the material in place while force is applied with the control unit.
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Instructions
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Measure the area of the fiberglass. The area of rectangular objects is calculated by multiplying length times width, triangular object area is calculated by multiplying base times height, and circular area is calculated by multiplying pi times the radius squared. As an example, a rectangular piece of fiberglass measures 13 by 15 inches; its area is 195 square inches.
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Place the fiberglass piece on the UTM's table and clamp it in place with the upper cross head and the lower cross head.
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Apply force to the fiberglass piece with the control unit until the fiberglass piece begins to break. Record the load that was applied to the fiberglass at its breaking point. As an example, a fiberglass piece cracked once 1,000 lbs. of load was applied to it.
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Divide the load by the fiberglass area to determine the fiberglass tensile strength. In the example, dividing 1,000 by 195 equals 5.128. The tensile strength of the fiberglass piece is 5.128 lbs. per square inch.
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References
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