Flexural Test
Flexural strength, also known as modulus of rupture, or bend strength, or transverse rupture strength is a material property, defined as the stress in a material just before it yields in a flexure test.
Flexure tests are generally used to determine the flexural modulus or flexural strength of a material. A flexure test is more affordable than a tensile test and test results are slightly different. The material is laid horizontally over two points of contact (lower support span) and then a force is applied to the top of the material through either one or two points of contact (upper loading span) until the sample fails. The maximum recorded force is the flexural strength of that particular sample. a flexure test does not measure fundamental material properties. When a specimen is placed under flexural loading all three fundamental stresses are present: tensile, compressive and shear and so the flexural properties of a specimen are the result of the combined effect of all three stresses as well as (though to a lesser extent) the geometry of the specimen and the rate the load is applied.
The most common purpose of a flexure test is to measure flexural strength and flexural modulus. Flexural strength is defined as the maximum stress at the outermost fiber on either the compression or tension side of the specimen. Flexural modulus is calculated from the slope of the stress vs. strain deflection curve. These two values can be used to evaluate the sample materials ability to withstand flexure or bending forces.
A bend test is similar to a flexure test in the type of hardware and test procedure involved. Bend tests are used with ductile materials whereas flexural tests are used with brittle materials.