Composites Materials Testing

Within the context of composites testing, the standard “building block approach” is a step-by-step series of mechanical tests of increasing complexity, coupled with analyses performed at each step, that serves as a framework for designing composite structures.

In the building block approach, the levels or “blocks” each serve specific purposes and are addressed sequentially, starting from the bottom:

• Level 1, Coupon-level testing
• Level 2, Element testing
• Level 3, Subcomponent testing
• Level 4, Component testing