EN2561:1995 Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics — Unidirectional Laminates — Tensile Test Parallel to the Fiber Direction
EN 2561 is a testing standard that determines the ultimate tensile strength, tensile modulus and, if required, the Poisson’s ratio and strain at failure in tension of carbon fiber reinforced plastics in the form of unidirectional laminates. This method is only applicable to specimens where the axis is parallel to the direction of the fibers; testing in the perpendicular is covered by the test methods in EN 2597. This standard is used by a range of manufacturers using carbon fiber laminates including those in the aerospace, automotive, wind energy, and construction industries. EN 2561 is typically used for materials development and qualification and quality control.
Materials Testing SystemFor testing high strength carbon fiber materials, Instron recommends a 5980 electromechanical floor model testing system. For lower strength materials such as glass fiber, a table model 6800 Series system may have sufficient capacity. Moving body grips meet the requirements of the standard and both manually and hydraulically operated types are available.
| EN 2561 Test Setup | |
|---|---|
| 1) | 5900 Series Universal Testing System |
| 2) | Bluehill Universal Software |
| 3) | 2580 Series Load Cell |
| 4) | 2742 Series Hydraulic Wedge Grips |
| 5) | AVE2 Non-Contacting Extensometer |
| EN 2561 Testing Accessories | |
|---|---|
| 1) | Strain Gauge |
| 2) | Biaxial Clip-On Extensometer |
| 3) | Environmental Chamber |
Strain measurement is a key part of testing to EN 2561. Strain measurement devices include simple strain gauges and a wide range of extensometers. Strain gauges can be connected to the testing machine via easy-to-use strain gauge adapters. A range of suitable contacting extensometers for axial and bi-axial strain measurements are also available. When strain at failure is required, a non-contacting strain measurement solution such as Instron's AVE2 is preferred. When tests need to be conducted at high or low temperatures a temperature chamber along with temperature-rated grips is required.
