ASTM E4-01

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American Association State
Designation:E4–01
Highway and Transportation Officials Standards
AASHTO No: T67
Standard Practices for
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Force Verification of Testing Machines
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 4; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope D 76 Specification for Tensile Testing Machines for Tex-
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tiles
1.1 These practices cover procedures for the force verifica-
E 74 Practice for Calibration of Force Measuring Instru-
tion, by means of standard calibration devices, of tension or
ments for Verifying the Force Indication of Testing Ma-
compression, or both, static or quasi-static testing machines
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chines
(which may, or may not, have force-indicating systems). These
E 467 Practice for Verification of Constant Amplitude Dy-
practices are not intended to be complete purchase specifica-
namic Loads on Displacements in an Axial Load Fatigue
tions for testing machines. Testing machines may be verified by
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Testing System
one of the three following methods or combination thereof:
1.1.1 Use of standard weights,
3. Terminology
1.1.2 Use of equal-arm balances and standard weights, or
3.1 Definitions:
1.1.3 Use of elastic calibration devices.
3.1.1 testing machine (force-measuring type)—a mechani-
NOTE 1—These practices do not cover the verification of all types of
cal device for applying a force to a specimen.
testing machines designed to measure forces, for example, the constant-
3.1.1.1 portable testing machine (force-measuring type)—a
rate-of-loading type which operates on the inclined-plane principle. This
device specifically designed to be moved from place to place
type of machine may be verified as directed in the applicable appendix of
and for applying a force (load) to a specimen.
Specification D 76.
3.1.2 tension testing machine, CRT (constant-rate-
1.2 The procedures of 1.1.1-1.1.3 apply to the verification of
oftraverse)—a mechanical device for applying a load (force) to
the force-indicating systems associated with the testing ma-
a specimen and in which the force is measured by means of a
chine, such as a scale, dial, marked or unmarked recorder chart,
pendulum.
digital display, etc. In all cases the buyer/owner/user must
3.1.3 force—in the case of testing machines, a force mea-
designate the force-indicating system(s) to be verified and
sured in units such as pound-force, newton, or kilogram-force.
included in the report.
3.1.3.1 Discussion—The pound-force is that force which
1.3 Since conversion factors are not required in this prac-
acting on a 1-lb mass will give to it an acceleration of 9.80665
tice, either inch-pound units, SI units, or metric values can be
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m/s (32.1740 ft/s ). The newton is that force which acting on
used as the standard.
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a 1-kg mass will give to it an acceleration of 1 m/s .
1.4 Forces indicated on displays/printouts of testing ma-
3.1.4 accuracy—the specified permissible variation from
chine data systems—be they instantaneous, delayed, stored, or
the correct value. A testing machine is said to be accurate if the
retransmitted—which are verified with provisions of 1.1.1,
indicated force is within the specified permissible variation
1.1.2, or 1.1.3, and are within the 61 % accuracy requirement,
from the actual force.
comply with Practices E 4.
3.1.4.1 Discussion—In these methods the word “accurate”
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
applied to a testing machine is used without numerical values,
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
for example, “An accurate testing machine was used for the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
investigation.” The accuracy of a testing machine should not be
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
confused with sensitivity. For example, a testing machine
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
might be very sensitive; that is, it might indicate quickly and
definitely small changes in force, but nevertheless, be very
2. Referenced Documents
inaccurate. On the other hand, the accuracy of the results is in
2.1 ASTM Standards:
general limited by the sensitivity.
3.1.5 error (or the deviation from the correct value)—in the
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These practices are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E28 on
Mechanical Testing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E28.01 on
Calibration of Mechanical Testing Machines and Apparatus.
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Current edition approved April 10, 2001. Published May 2001. Originally Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vo
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