Tear Test

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Tear test

General

A method for characterising the tear behaviour of films and elastomeric materials that has proven itself in practice is the determination of the tear propagation resistance T_s under quasi-static test conditions by means of the tear test or tear propagation test.

The tear test is also used for various types of leather, nonwovens, textile fabrics and for textiles coated with rubber or plastic to determine application-related material values, as the compilation of test methods in the additional literature shows.

Tear propagation test for films

The testing machines to be used for this test are universal testing machines. To determine the tear propagation resistance, trapezoidal test specimens can be used for films according to DIN 53363, which have an incision in the centre from which the tearing process is initiated by the acting notch stress (see Fig. 1). The length L of these trapezoidal specimens on the long side is 120 mm, the width W = 50 mm.

Figure 1:

Trapezoidal test specimen for the tear propagation test according to DIN 53363

The clamping of this trapezoidal specimen as well as a typical force–traverse path diagram of a thermoplastic film are shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2:

Typical force–elongation diagram of a polyamide (plastics – symbols and abbreviated terms: PA) film (a) and clamped trapezoidal specimen (b).

Tear propagation test for elastomers

The tear propagation resistance of elastomers can be determined according to ISO 34-1, whereby different test specimen geometries are possible. Figures 3 and 4 show the frequently used trouser specimen and the so-called Crescent specimen.

Figure 3:

Trouser specimen for determining the tear propagation resistance of elastomers

Figure 4:

Crescent specimen for determining the tear propagation resistance of elastomers

During the stressing of the test specimen, the force–elongation diagram is recorded. The tear resistance T_s is calculated after evaluating the recorded force–elongation diagram with the aid of the maximum force F_M or the median of the force and the test specimen thickness B:

$T_{S}\,=\,{\frac {F_{M}}{B}}$

The material value determined with this test method allows relative comparisons between different materials. In the case of plastics, it depends in particular on:

• the material quality and the state of treatment,
• the preferred direction as a result of the processing of thermoplastics,
• the vulcanisation time for elastomers, and
• the test temperature and the deformation speed (see also: crosshead speed).

References for films and elastomers

• Reincke, K.: Testing of Polymeric Films. In: Grellmann, W., Seidler, S. (Eds.): Polymer Testing. Carl Hanser Munich (2022), 3rd. Edition, pp. 643–678 (ISBN 978-1-56990-806-8; e-Book ISBN 978-1-56990-807-5; ePub ISBN 978-1-56990-808-2; see AMK-Library under A 22)
• Reincke, K., Grellmann, W.: Tensile Loading Tear Resistance. In: Grellmann, W., Seidler, S. (Eds.): Mechanical and Thermomechanical Properties of Polymers. Landolt-Börnstein. Volume VIII/6A3, Springer Berlin (2014), pp. 144–149, (ISBN 978-3-642-55165-9; see AMK-Library under A 16)
• Grellmann, W., Seidler, S. (Eds.): Polymer Testing. Carl Hanser Munich (2022) 3rd. Edition, pp. 128–130, (ISBN 978-1-56690-806-8; see AMK-Library under A 22)
• ISO 34-1 (2022-06): Rubber, Vulcanized or Thermoplastic – Determination of Tear Strength – Part 1: Trouser, Angle and Crescent Test Pieces
• ASTM D 624 (2000, reapproved 2020): Standard Test Method for Tear Strength of Conventional Vulcanized Rubber and Thermoplastic Elastomers
• DIN 53363 (2003-10): Testing of Plastic Films – Tear Test using Trapezoidal Test Specimen with Incision (withdrawn; replaced by DIN EN 17679:2022-08)
• DIN EN 17679 (2022-08): Plastics – Plastic Films – Determination of Tear Resistance using a Trapezoidal Test Specimen with Incision

Additional literature

• DIN EN 1875-3 (2023-04): Rubber- or Plastics-coated Fabrics – Determination on Tear Strength – Part 3: Trapezoidal Method (Five-highest-peak Calculation)
• DIN 53329 (1982-02): Testing of Leather and Artifical Leather – Tear Growth Test (withdrawn)
• ISO 3377 (2011-12): Leather – Physical and Mechanical Tests – Determination of Tear Load – Part 1: Single Edge Tear
• ISO 13934-1 (2013-04): Textiles – Tensile Properties of Fabrics – Part 1: Determination of Maximum and Elongation at Maximum Force Using the Strip Method
• ASTM D 1004 (2021): Standard Test Method for Tear Resistance (Graves Tear) of Plastic Film and Sheeting
• ISO 4674: Rubber- or Plastics-coated Fabrics – Determination of Tear Resistance

• Part 1 (2016-10): Constant rate of Tear Methods
• Part 2 (2021-10): Ballistic Pendulum Method

• DIN EN 3475-502 (2002-08): Aerospace Series – Cables, Electrical, Aircraft Use – Test Methods – Part 502: Notch Propagation
• ISO 505 (2025-04): Conveyor Belts – Method for the Determination of the Tear Propagation Resistance of Textile Conveyor Belts
• ISO 9073-4 (2021-01): Nonwovens – Test Methods – Part 4: Determination of Tear Resistance by the Trapezoid Procedure
• ISO 11897 (1999-03): Packaging – Sacks made from Thermoplastic Flexible Film – Tear Propagation on Edge Folds
• ISO 13937 (2000-04): Textiles – Tear Properties of Fabrics

• Part 1: Determination of Tear Force using Ballistic Pendulum Method (Elmendorf) Technical Corrigendum 1: 2004-10
• Part 2: Determination of Tear Force of Trouser-shaped Test Specimen (Single Tear Method)
• Part 3: Determination of Tear Force of Wing-shaped Test Specimens (Single Tear Method)
• Part 4: Determination of Tear Force of Tongue-shaped Test Specimens (Double Tear Test)