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INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 178

Fourth edition
2001-12-15

Plastics — Determination of flexural

properties
Plastiques — Détermination des propriétés en flexion

Reference number
ISO 178:2001(E)

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ISO 178:2001(E)

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ISO 178:2001(E)

Contents Page

Foreword.....................................................................................................................................................................iv
1 Scope .............................................................................................................................................................. 1
2 Normative references .................................................................................................................................... 1
3 Terms and definitions ................................................................................................................................... 2
4 Principle.......................................................................................................................................................... 4
5 Test machine.................................................................................................................................................. 5
6 Test specimens.............................................................................................................................................. 6
7 Conditioning................................................................................................................................................... 9
8 Procedure ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
9 Calculation and expression of results....................................................................................................... 11
10 Precision....................................................................................................................................................... 13
11 Test report .................................................................................................................................................... 13
Annex A (normative) Compliance correction.........................................................................................................14
Bibliography .............................................................................................................................................................. 15

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ISO 178:2001(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO
member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical
committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.

International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.

Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this International Standard may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

International Standard ISO 178 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 61, Plastics, Subcommittee SC 2,
Mechanical properties.

This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (ISO 178:1993), which has been updated in the following
ways:

 a method of correcting for curvature at the beginning of the stress/strain curve is given (see 9.2);

 a method of correcting for the compliance of the test machine is given (see annex A).

Annex A forms a normative part of this International Standard.

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 178:2001(E)

Plastics — Determination of flexural properties

1 Scope
1.1 This International Standard specifies a method for determining the flexural properties of rigid (see 3.12) and
semi-rigid plastics under defined conditions. A standard test specimen is defined, but parameters are included for
alternative specimen sizes for use where appropriate. A range of test speeds is included.

1.2 The method is used to investigate the flexural behaviour [1] of the test specimens and for determining the
flexural strength, flexural modulus and other aspects of the flexural stress/strain relationship under the conditions
defined. It applies to a freely supported beam, loaded at midspan (three-point loading test).

1.3 The method is suitable for use with the following range of materials:

 thermoplastics moulding and extrusion materials, including filled and reinforced compounds in addition to
unfilled types; rigid thermoplastics sheets;

 thermosetting moulding materials, including filled and reinforced compounds; thermosetting sheets.

In agreement with ISO 10350-1 and ISO 10350-2, this International Standard applies to fibre-reinforced
compounds with fibre lengths u 7,5 mm prior to processing. For long-fibre-reinforced materials (laminates) with
fibre lengths > 7,5 mm, see reference [2] in the bibliography.

The method is not normally suitable for use with rigid cellular materials and sandwich structures containing cellular
material [3, 4].

NOTE For certain types of textile-fibre-reinforced plastics, a four-point bending test is preferred. It is described in
reference [2].

1.4 The method is performed using specimens which may be moulded to the specified dimensions, machined
from the central portion of a standard multipurpose test specimen (see ISO 3167) or machined from finished or
semi-finished products such as mouldings, or extruded or cast sheet.

1.5 The method specifies preferred dimensions for the test specimen. Tests which are carried out on specimens
of different dimensions, or on specimens which are prepared under different conditions, may produce results which
are not comparable. Other factors, such as the test speed and the conditioning of the specimens, can also
influence the results. Especially for semi-crystalline polymers, the thickness of the oriented skin layer, which is
dependent on moulding conditions and thickness, affects the flexural properties. Consequently, when comparable
data are required, these factors must be carefully controlled and recorded.

1.6 Flexural properties can only be used for engineering design purposes for materials with linear stress/strain
behaviour. For non-linear behaviour, the flexural properties are only nominal. The bending test should preferentially
be used with brittle materials, for which tensile tests are difficult.

2 Normative references
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of
this International Standard. For dated references, subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of these
publications do not apply. However, parties to agreements based on this International Standard are encouraged to
investigate the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the normative documents indicated below. For

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ISO 178:2001(E)

undated references, the latest edition of the normative document referred to applies. Members of ISO and IEC
maintain registers of currently valid International Standards.

ISO 291:1997, Plastics — Standard atmospheres for conditioning and testing

ISO 293:1986, Plastics — Compression moulding test specimens of thermoplastic materials

ISO 294-1:1996, Plastics — Injection moulding of test specimens of thermoplastic materials — Part 1: General
principles, and moulding of multipurpose and bar specimens

ISO 295:—1), Plastics — Compression moulding of test specimens of thermosetting materials

ISO 2602:1980, Statistical interpretation of test results — Estimation of the mean — Confidence interval

ISO 2818:1994, Plastics — Preparation of test specimens by machining

ISO 3167:2001, Plastics — Multipurpose test specimens

ISO 5893:1993, Rubber and plastics test equipment — Tensile, flexural and compression types (constant rate of
traverse) — Description

ISO 10724-1:1998, Plastics — Injection moulding of test specimens of thermosetting powder moulding compounds
(PMCs) — Part 1: General principles and moulding of multipurpose test specimens

3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this International Standard, the following terms and definitions apply.

3.1
test speed
v
rate of relative movement between the supports and the loading edge

NOTE It is expressed in millimetres per minute (mm/min).

3.2
flexural stress
σf
nominal stress of the outer surface of the test specimen at midspan

NOTE It is calculated from the relationship given in 9.1, equation (5), and is expressed in megapascals (MPa).

3.3
flexural stress at break
σ fB
flexural stress at break of the test specimen (see Figure 1, curves a and b)

NOTE It is expressed in megapascals (MPa).

3.4
flexural strength
σ fM
maximum flexural stress sustained by the test specimen during a bending test (see Figure 1, curves a and b)

NOTE It is expressed in megapascals (MPa).

1) To be published. (Revision of ISO 295:1991)

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ISO 178:2001(E)

3.5
flexural stress at conventional deflection
σfc
flexural stress at the conventional deflection sC defined in 3.7 (see Figure 1, curve c)

NOTE It is expressed in megapascals (MPa).

3.6
deflection
s
distance over which the top or bottom surface of the test specimen at midspan deviates from its original position
during flexure

NOTE It is expressed in millimetres (mm).

3.7
conventional deflection
sC
deflection equal to 1,5 times the thickness h of the test specimen

NOTE 1 It is expressed in millimetres (mm).

NOTE 2 Using a span L of 16h, the conventional deflection corresponds to a flexural strain (see 3.8) of 3,5 %.

Curve a Specimen that breaks before yielding.

Curve b Specimen that gives a maximum and then breaks before the conventional deflection sC.
Curve c Specimen that neither gives a maximum nor breaks before the conventional deflection sC.

Figure 1 — Typical curves of flexural stress σf versus flexural strain ε f and deflection s

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3.8
flexural strain
εf
nominal fractional change in length of an element of the outer surface of the test specimen at midspan

NOTE 1 It is expressed as a dimensionless ratio or as a percentage (%).

NOTE 2 It is calculated in accordance with the relationships given in 9.2, equations (6) and (7).

3.9
flexural strain at break
ε fB
flexural strain at break of the test specimen (see Figure 1, curves a and b)

NOTE It is expressed as a dimensionless ratio or as a percentage (%).

3.10
flexural strain at flexural strength
ε fM
flexural strain at maximum flexural stress (see Figure 1, curves a and b)

NOTE It is expressed as a dimensionless ratio or as a percentage (%).

3.11
modulus of elasticity in flexure
flexural modulus
Ef
ratio of the stress difference σ f 2 − σ f 1 to the corresponding strain difference ε f 2 (= 0,002 5) − ε f 1 (= 0,000 5) [see
9.2, equation (9)]

NOTE 1 It is expressed in megapascals (MPa).

NOTE 2 The flexural modulus is only an approximate value of Young's modulus of elasticity.

NOTE 3 With computer-aided equipment, the determination of the modulus Ef using two distinct stress/strain points can be
replaced by a linear regression procedure applied to the part of the curve between these two points.

3.12
rigid plastic
a plastic that has a modulus of elasticity in flexure or, if that is not applicable, then in tension, greater than 700 MPa
under stated conditions [ISO 472]

4 Principle
The test specimen, supported as a beam, is deflected at a constant rate at the midspan until the specimen
fractures or until the deformation reaches some predetermined value. During this procedure, the force applied to
the test specimen is measured.

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