ASTM D1938-06

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Designation:D1938–06
Standard Test Method for
Tear-Propagation Resistance (Trouser Tear) of Plastic Film
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and Thin Sheeting by a Single-Tear Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 1938; 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.
1. Scope* D 5947 Test Methods for Physical Dimensions of Solid
Plastics Specimens
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the force
D 6988 Guide for Determination of Thickness of Plastic
necessary to propagate a tear in plastic film and thin sheeting
Film Test Specimens
(thickness of 1 mm [0.04 in.] or less) by a single-tear method.
E4 Practices for Force Verification of Testing Machines
The method is not applicable for film or sheeting material
E 691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to
where brittle failures occur during testing.
Determine the Precision of a Test Method
NOTE 1—Film has been arbitrarily defined as sheeting having nominal
2.2 ISO Standard:
thickness not greater than 0.25 mm [0.010 in.].
ISO 6383-1 Film and Sheeting—Determination of Tear
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1.2 Constant-Rate-of-Grip Separation Test —This test
Resistance Part 1 Trouser Tear Method
method employs a constant rate of separation of the grips
3. Terminology
holding the test specimen.
1.2.1 Specimen extension may be measured in this test
3.1 Definitions: For definitions of terms used in this test
method by grip separation.
method, refer to Terminology D 883.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
4. Summary of Test Method
standard. The values given in brackets are provided for
information only.
4.1 The force to propagate a tear across a film or sheeting
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the specimen is measured using a constant-rate-of-grip separation
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
machine as described in Test Methods D 882 and is calculated
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- from the load-time chart.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
5. Significance and Use
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
5.1 This test method is of value in rating the tear-
NOTE 2—This standard is similar to ISO 6383-1, but is not considered
propagationresistanceofvariousplasticfilmsandthinsheeting
technicallyequivalent.ThespecimensizeforISO 6383-1islarger,andthe
of comparable thickness. For highly extensible film or sheeting
method specifies different test speeds.
the deformation energy of the specimen legs is significantly
2. Referenced Documents
greater than the tearing energy.The tear-propagation resistance
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in slightly extensible or non-extensible film or sheeting is
2.1 ASTM Standards:
distinguished from the tear-propagation resistance in highly
D 618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
extensible film or sheeting by the load-time or load-
D 882 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic
displacement data, (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). The tear-propagation
Sheeting
force for slightly extensible or non-extensible material is
D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
determined from the average tear force versus the initial and
D 4000 Classification System for Specifying Plastic Mate-
peak force for a highly extensible material.
rials
5.2 This test method shall be used for specification accep-
tance testing only after it has been demonstrated that the data
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This test method is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D20 on Plastics
for the particular material are acceptably reproducible.
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.19 on Film and Sheeting.
5.3 The data obtained by this test method furnish informa-
Current edition approved Sept. 1, 2006. Published September 2006. Originally
approved in 1962. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as D 1938 - 02.
tion for ranking the tear-propagation resistance of plastic films
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
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Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from American National Standards Institute, 25 W. 43rd St., 4th
the ASTM website. Floor, New York, NY 10036.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
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D1938–06
FIG. 1 Load-Time Chart for Low-Extensible Film
FIG. 3 Single-Tear Specimen
6.1.3.2 Self-aligning grips are attached to the fixed and
movable membe
...