ASTM D2659-95

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
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Designation: D 2659 – 95
Standard Test Method for
Column Crush Properties of Blown Thermoplastic
Containers
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 2659; 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.
evaluation of the column crush properties of a blown thermoplastic
1. Scope
container, since it may be a very useful designated failure point for the
1.1 This test method covers the determination of mechanical
application under consideration. The load at which this abrupt change
properties of blown thermoplastic containers when loaded
occurs may be chosen as a crushing yield load for study. In such a case,
under columnar crush conditions at a constant rate of compres-
the report of results should be accompanied by a proper description of the
sive deflection. Any container, whether blown commercially or crushing yield load selected.
in the laboratory, may be used as the test specimen.
3.1.2 crushing load at failure—the crushing load applied to
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
a blown thermoplastic container that produces a failure by
standard.
fracture or parting of the material in any portion of said
container. It is expressed in kilograms (or pounds).
NOTE 1—There is no similar or equivalent ISO standard.
3.1.3 deflection at crushing yield load—the decrease in
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
length of the container specimen produced at the crushing yield
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
load along the center line of testing (axis of crushing, see Fig.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
1). It is expressed in millimetres (or inches).
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
3.1.4 apparent crushing stiffness—the ratio of the crushing
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
load to the corresponding deflection at a point on the linear
portion of the crushing load deflection curve. It is expressed in
2. Referenced Documents
newtons per metre (or pounds per inch).
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D 618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics and Electrical
4. Significance and Use
Insulating Materials for Testing
4.1 Column crush tests provide information about the crush-
D 1248 Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Molding and
ing properties of blown thermoplastic containers when em-
Extrusion Materials
ployed under conditions approximating those under which the
E 4 Practices for Load Verification of Testing Machines
tests are made.
E 83 Practice for Verification and Classification of Exten-
4.2 The column crush properties include the crushing yield
someters
load, deflection at crushing yield load, crushing load at failure,
and apparent crushing stiffness. Blown thermoplastic contain-
3. Terminology
ers made from materials that possess a low order of ductility
3.1 Definitions:
may fail in crushing by brittle fracture. In such cases, the
3.1.1 crushing yield load—the first load at which an in-
crushing yield load is equivalent to the crushing load at failure.
crease of deflection occurs with no increase in load in a
Blown thermoplastic containers made of ductile materials may
compressive crushing test. It is expressed in units of kilograms
not exhibit a crushing load at failure although they will
(or pounds) of load.
normally provide a crushing yield load value.
NOTE 2—In some cases, usually as a result of design or styling features,
4.3 Column crush tests provide a standard method of
or both, of a specific container, multiple values of the crushing yield load
obtaining data for research and development, applications,
may be observed, a small deflection may occur with no increase or with
design, quality control, acceptance or rejection under specifi-
a decrease in the crush load, followed by resumption of the normal crush
cations, and special purposes. The tests cannot be considered
load change with deflection. This phenomenon cannot be ignored in the
significant for engineering design in applications differing
widely from the load - time scale of the standard test. Such
applications require additional tests such as impact, creep, and
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-20 on Plastics
fatigue.
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.20 on Plastic Products.
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 1995. Published January 1996. Originally 4.4 Before proceeding with this test method, reference
published as D 2659 – 67. Last previous edition D 2659 – 89.
should be made to the specification of the material being tested.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.01.
Any test specimen preparation, conditioning, dimensions, or
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.01.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 2659
plastic container deviates noticeably from the parallel relationship, the
construction and use of a suitable testing jig will be necessary. This jig
shall be attached to that crosshead member of the testing machine that
contacts the nonparallel surface of the container. Similarly, some blown
thermoplastic container designs may cause slippage on the machine
crushing surfaces. In this event, a nonslip material such as masking tape
should be applied to the slipping member of the testing machine.
7. Conditioning
7.1 Conditioning—Condition the test specimens at 23 6
2°C (73.4 6 3.6°F) and 50 6 5 % relative humidity for not less
than 40 h prior to test in accordance with Procedure A of
Practice D 618, for those tests where conditioning is required.
In cases of disagreement, the tolerances shall be6 1°C
(61.8°F) and 62 % relative humidity.
7.2 Test Conditions—Conduct tests in the standard labora-
tory atmosphere of 23 6 2°C (73.4 6 3.6°F) and 50 6 5%
relative humidity, unless otherwise specified in the test meth-
ods. In cases of disagreement, the tolerances shall be 61°C
(61.8°F) and6 2 % relative humidity.
FIG. 1 Typical Crushing Axes
NOTE 4—Blown thermoplastic container test specimens that are made
of materials known to be insensitive to changes of relative humidity, may
testing parameters, or combination thereof, covered in the
be conditioned at the Standard Laboratory Temperature of 23 6 2°C
materials specification shall take precedence over those men-
(73.46 3.6°F) for a period of 24 h, unless otherwise specified.
tioned in this test method. If there are no material specifica-
tions, then the default conditions apply.
8. Number of Test Specimens
8.1 At least 20 specimens shall be tested for each sample on
5. Apparatus
any given axis of crushing. If more than one axis of crushing
5.1 Testing Machine—Any suitable testing machine capable
is to be studied, at least 20 specimens shall be tested for each
of control of constant-rate-of-crosshead movement and com-
axis.
prising essentially the following:
8.2 Specimens that fail at some obvious fortuitous flaw shall
5.1.1 Drive Mechanism—A drive mechanism imparting the
be discarded and retests made, unless such flaws constitute a
crosshead movable member of a uniform, controlled velocity
variable to be studied. The data should be discarded and the
with respect to the fixed member, this velocity to be regulated
number of rejected specimens noted.
as specified in Section 9.
5.1.2 Load Indicator—A load-indicating mechanism ca- 9. Speed of Testing
pable of showing the total crushing load carried by the test
9.1 Speed of testing shall be the relative rate of motion of
specimen. The mechanism shall be essentially free from
the fixed and movable members of the testing machine during
inertia-lag at the specified rate of testing and shall indicate the
the test. Rate of motion of the movable member, when the
crushing load with an accuracy of 61 %. The accuracy ofthe
machine is running idle, may be used if it can be shown that the
testing machine shall be verified at least once a year, in
resulting speed of testing is within the limits of variation
accordance with Practices E 4.
allowed.
5.2 Extensometer—A suitable instrument for determining
9.2 The speed of testing shall be constant within 610 %.
the distance between the two surfaces of load application on
9.3 The speed of testing shall be chosen in the range from
the test specimen at any time during the test. It is desirable that
12.5 mm (0.50 in.)/min to 50.0 mm (2.0 in.)/min.
this instrument automatically record this distance, or any
NOTE 5—Round-robin tests have shown that precision of measurements
change in it as a function of the crushing load on the test
is less than satisfactory when testing speeds less than 12.5 mm (0.50
specimen. The instrument shall be essentially free of inertia-lag
in.)/min or more than 50.0 mm (2.0 in.)/min were employed for a limited
at the specified rate of loading and shall conform to the
number of
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