Short span compression strength

The crush resistance of paper under compressive stress is measured as the short span compression strength. To prevent the sample kinking, the free span length must be very small (typically 0.7 mm). The resistance measured according to DIN 54 518 gives the ultimate crushing load per unit width. 

As with tensile properties, both compressive strength and modulus depend on the fiber content and hber orientation (see Table 5.8). The interlaminar shear strength reported in Table 5.8 is a measure of the shear strength in the thickness direction of the SMC sheet. It is determined by three-point flexural testing of beams with short span-to-depth ratios and is considered to be a quality-control test for molded composites. 

Under three point bend loading of a composite (beam), cracks may be developed due to tensile stresses at the lower stratus of the specimen as well as compression stresses at the upper one, or due to interlaminar shear. The type of failure depends on the ratio of span to depth (L/D). Short beam specimens usually fail in shear and long ones by tensile or compression stresses. For interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) tests, a L/D = 5 was chosen (ASTM-D-2344-76). In case of flexural strength tests, this ratio was fixed to 40 (DIN 29971). 

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