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ASTM C273

Standard Test Method for Shear Properties of Sandwich Core Materials

Scope:
This standard covers the evaluation of the shear properties of sandwich core materials.  It determines the shear strength in the plane parallel to the facing, and the shear modulus associated with the strains in the plane normal to the face.  Core material forms include those with continuous bonding surfaces such as balsa wood and foams, as well as discontinuous bonding surfaces such as those containing a honeycomb structure.

Procedure:
After conditioning and machining the specimen according to the appropriate ASTM standard, the specimen will be adhered to shear plates. Dimensional and material criteria is then enter into the software, the shear plates and specimen are attached to hinged fixtures and inserted into the test machine. Perform the test multiple times to evaluate variability.

Data:
Individual core shear modulus, ultimate shear strengths, 2% offset core shear strengths, failure mode, and location of failure.

Equipment used:
Test frame, sandwich panel shear test fixture, test method software.