Tensile bars can be in a number of profiles in accordance with a variety of test standards. Please consult the test standard to determine the proper test specimen for your test.
Learn more about Tensile Testing, as well as about Mechanical Testing more generally.
Type I tensile bars are used for standard testing of metals, plastics (filled or unfilled), composites, and foams. These tensile bars are intended for quasi-static testing.
Drawing: ASTM D638 Type I tensile bar
Drawing: ASTM D638 Type II tensile bar
Drawing: ASTM D638 Type III tensile bar
Type IV tensile bars are used for standard testing of metals, unfilled plastics, composites, and foams. Type IV specimens are useful when measuring cross-flow properties, as they can be cut from a 4in x 12in plaque, 90° to the flow direction.
Drawing: ASTM D638 Type IV tensile bar
Type V tensile bars are primarily used for testing of rate dependency in unfilled plastics and metals.
Drawing: ASTM D638 Type V tensile bar
Note: ASTM D638 Type V specimens are not appropriate for Tensile Creep (M-250), Creep Rupture (M-254), or Tensile Fatigue S-N Curve (M-508) tests.
Croop 1 specimens are primarily used for testing of rate dependency in filled plastics.
Drawing: Croop 1 tensile bar
Note: Croop 1 specimens are not appropriate for Tensile Creep (M-250), Creep Rupture (M-254), or Tensile Fatigue S-N Curve (M-508) tests.
ISO 8256 Type 3 specimens are primarily used for testing of rate dependency in filled plastics.
Drawing: ISO 8256 Type 3 tensile bar
Note: ISO 8256 Type 3 specimens are not appropriate for Tensile Creep (M-250), Creep Rupture (M-254), or Tensile Fatigue S-N Curve (M-508) tests.
Type C tensile bars are used exclusively for tensile testing of elastomers and rubber materials.
Drawing: ASTM D412 Type C tensile bar
ISO tensile bars are used for standard testing of metals, plastics (filled or unfilled), composites, and foams. These tensile bars are intended for quasi-static testing.
Drawing: ISO 527 Type 1A tensile bar
Drawing: ISO 527 Type 5B tensile bar
Note: ISO 527 Type 5B specimens are not appropriate for Tensile Creep (M-250) or Creep Rupture (M-254) tests.
ASTM E8 round tensile bars are used for standard tensile testing of metals. These tensile bars are intended for quasi-static testing. Note that the specimen geometry gauge length to diameter ratio differs between ASTM E8 and ASTM E8M.
Drawings: ASTM E8 0.375in round tensile bar, ASTM E8 0.5in round tensile bar