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BRITISH STANDARD AEROSPACE SERIES

Carbon fibre reinforced

plastics
Unidirectional
laminates
Tensile test parallel to
the fibre direction

The European Standard EN 2561:1995 has the status of a

British Standard
ICS 49.040.10

UDC 678.6.046:667.494-039.626:620.172.629.7

BS EN
2561:1995

BS EN 2561:1995

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Committees responsible for this

British Standard
The preparation of this European Standard was entrusted to Technical
Committee ACE/64, Aerospace structural reinforced plastics, upon which the
following bodies were represented:
British Plastics Federation
Ministry of Defence
Society of British Aerospace Companies Limited

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Engineering
Sector Board, was published
under the authority of the
Standards Board and comes
into effect on
15 December 1995
BSI 09-1999
The following BSI references
relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference ACE/64
Draft for comment 88/72264 DC
ISBN 0 580 23109 7

Amendments issued since publication

Amd. No.

Date

Comments

BS EN 2561:1995

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Contents
Committees responsible
National foreword
Foreword
Text of EN 2561
List of references

BSI 09-1999

Page
Inside front cover
ii
2
3
Inside back cover

BS EN 2561:1995

National foreword
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This British Standard has been prepared under the direction of the Aerospace
Standards Policy Committee and is the English language version of
EN 2561:1995 Aerospace series Carbon fibre reinforced plastics
Unidirectional laminates Tensile test parallel to the fibre direction, published
by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN).
EN 2561 was produced as a result of international discussions in which the
United Kingdom took an active part.
Cross-references
Publication referred to

Corresponding British Standard

EN 2744:1992

BS EN 2744:1992 Non-metallic materials Preferred

test temperatures

A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
the EN title page, pages 2 to 10, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the
inside front cover.
ii

BSI 09-1999

EUROPEAN STANDARD

EN 2561

NORME EUROPENNE
September 1995

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EUROPISCHE NORM
ICS 49.040.10

Descriptors: Aircraft industry, laminates, reinforced plastics, carbon fibres, thermosetting resins, tension tests

English version

Aerospace series Carbon fibre reinforced plastics

Unidirectional laminates Tensile test parallel to the
fibre direction

Srie arospatiale Plastiques renforcs de

fibres de carbone
Stratifis unidirectionnels Essai de traction
paralllement la direction des fibres

Luft und Raumfahrt

Kohlenstoffaserverstrkte Kunststoffe
Unidirektionale Laminate Zugprfung
parallel zur Faserrichtung

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 1995-09-19. CEN members

are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which
stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a
national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the Central Secretariat or to any
CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French,
German). A version in any other language made by translation under the
responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the
Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and
United Kingdom.

CEN
European Committee for Standardization
Comit Europen de Normalisation
Europisches Komitee fr Normung
Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 36, B-1050 Brussels
1995 Copyright reserved to CEN members

Ref. No. EN 2561:1995 E

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EN 2561:1995

Foreword
This European Standard has been prepared by the
European Association of Aerospace Manufacturers
(AECMA).
After inquiries and votes carried out in accordance
with the rules of this Association, this Standard has
successively received the approval of the National
Associations and the Official Services of the member
countries of AECMA, prior to its presentation to
CEN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of
a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by
March 1996, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by March 1996.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal
Regulations, the following countries are bound to
implement this European Standard: Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Contents
Foreword
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 Definitions
4 Principle
5 Apparatus
6 Specimens
7 Procedure
8 Expression of results
9 Designation
10 Test report
Annex A (normative) Form, dimensions of
specimen, test fixture
Figure 1
Figure A.1 Specimen and test fixture,
types A and B
Figure A.2 Specimen and test fixture,
type C
Table A.1

Page
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
7
7
8
6
8
8
9

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EN 2561:1995

1 Scope
This standard specifies the method of determination of the ultimate tensile strength, tensile modulus and,
if required, the Poissons ratio and strain at failure in tension of carbon fibre reinforced plastics in the form
of unidirectional laminates.
This method is only applicable to specimens where the axis is parallel to the direction of the fibres.

2 Normative references
This European Standard incorporates by dated or undated reference, provisions from other publications.
These normative references are cited at the appropriate places in the text and the publications are listed
hereafter. For dated references, subsequent amendments to or revisions of any of these publications apply
to this European Standard only when incorporated in it by amendment or revision. For undated references
the latest edition of the publication referred to applies.
EN 2489, Aerospace series Fibre reinforced plastics Determination of the action of test fluids.
EN 2565, Aerospace series Preparation of carbon fibre reinforced resin panels for test purposes1).
EN 2743, Aerospace series Reinforced plastics Standard procedures for conditioning prior to testing1).
EN 2744, Aerospace series Non-metallic materials Preferred test temperatures.
EN 2823, Aerospace series Fibre reinforced plastics Test method for the determination of the effect of
exposure to humid atmosphere on physical and mechanical characteristics1).

3 Definitions
For the purposes of this standard, the following definitions apply:
3.1
tensile stress
tensile load experienced by the specimen at any moment during the test, per initial unit cross sectional area
within the free length
3.2
ultimate tensile strength (T11)
tensile stress at the moment failure occurs
3.3
ultimate tensile strength related to the fibre (f)
the ultimate tensile strength calculated as a function of the fibre cross sectional area and based on the
hypothesis that all the tensile load is carried by the fibres
3.4
strains (11 and 22)
change in the distance between reference points in the specimen free length, produced by a tensile load and
expressed with respect to the initial distance between these points
11 is the strain measured parallel to the fibre direction
22 is the strain measured perpendicular to the fibre direction (in the plane of the laminate)
3.5
percentage strain to failure (A %)
increase in the distance between reference points in the specimen free length, produced by a tensile load
and expressed as a percentage of the initial distance between these points and measured at the moment of
failure

1)

Published as AECMA Prestandard at the date of publication of this standard

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EN 2561:1995

3.6
secant modulus between PR/10 and PR/2 (ET11)
slope of the straight line passing through:
the point of the stress/strain diagram parallel to the load axis, corresponding to a stress calculated
from PR/2;
the point on the same diagram corresponding to a stress calculated from PR/10.
PR is the load at failure of the specimen
3.7
secant modulus related to the fibre (Ef)
the secant modulus calculated as a function of the fibre cross sectional area and based on the hypothesis
that all the tensile load is carried by the fibres
3.8
poissons ratio (v12)
absolute value of the ratio of the difference in strain 22 to the difference in strain 11, measured between
PR/10 and PR/2 (see Figure 1)

4 Principle
The method consists of the measurement of the longitudinal and, if required, the lateral strains in the
material, in relation to the load applied, during a tensile test carried out at a constant rate of displacement
until failure occurs.

5 Apparatus
5.1 Micrometer with 6 mm diameter flat faces and accurate to 0,01 mm
5.2 Testing machine, accurate to within 1 % in the load range used
5.3 A means of recording strains, in relation to the load (extensometer or strain gauges), accurate to
within 1 % in the strain range used. The instrument shall not mark the specimen in a way which may cause
premature failures.
5.4 If necessary, heated cabinet, regulated so as to conform to EN 2744 for tests at temperatures other than
ambient
5.5 Thermocouple and recorder for tests at temperatures other than ambient

6 Specimens
Take specimens from panels prepared according to EN 2565.
6.1 Form and dimensions
See Annex A.
6.2 Number
Minimum of five

7 Procedure
7.1 Conditioning
EN 2743 for tests in the initial state;
EN 2489 for tests after immersion;
EN 2823 for tests after humidity exposure.
7.2 Tests
7.2.1 Measure the width to within 0,01 mm in the centre of the specimen and at two opposite points
located 30 mm from the centre.
b is the arithmetic mean of these three measurements.

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EN 2561:1995

Measure the thickness to within 0,01 mm in the centre of the specimen and at two opposite points on the
specimen axis and located 30 mm from the centre.
h is the arithmetic mean of these three measurements.
7.2.2 For tests at temperatures other than ambient, the period separating the conditioning and start of the
test shall conform to the following conditions:
For specimens which have not been aged or subjected to immersion, the exposure time at the test
temperature shall be established by preliminary tests.
For specimens subjected to immersion, see EN 2489.
For humidity aged specimens, see EN 2823.
7.2.3 The alignment of the specimen in the test machine jaws shall be sufficient to avoid the introduction
of any bending loads.
7.2.4 The jaws shall entrap the tabs of the specimens of types A and B (see Figure A.1).
7.2.5 The load shall be applied at a constant rate of jaw separation of 2 mm/min.
7.2.6 Record the strain 11 and, if necessary, the strain 22 using the extensometer or strain gauges as a
function of load.
7.2.7 Record the load at failure PR and, if necessary, the strain at failure (11)R.

8 Expression of results
8.1 Ultimate tensile strength T11 (MPa)
P
T11 = ------Rb h

where:
PR

is the load at failure, in newtons;

is the width, in millimeters;

is the thickness, in millimeters.

8.2 Ultimate tensile strength related to the fibre f(MPa)

PR f
f = ---------------n b Msf

where:
n

is the number of plies;

Msf

is the mass per unit area of fibre, in grams per square meter, per ply;

is the density of fibre, in kilograms per cubic meter;

PR

is the load at failure, in newtons;

is the width, in millimeters.

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EN 2561:1995

8.3 Secant modulus ET11 (MPa) between PR/10 and PR/2

Determine the strains from the recorded load/strain diagram (Figure 1):

Figure 1

where:
PR

is the load at failure, in newtons;

is the width, in millimeters;

is the thickness, in millimeters;

(11)A

is the strain parallel to the fibre direction corresponding to PR/10;

(11)B

is the strain parallel to the fibre direction corresponding to PR/2.

8.4 Secant modulus Ef (MPa) between PR/10 and PR/2 related to the fibre

where:

PR

is the load at failure, in newtons;

is the number of plies;

is the density of fibre, in kilograms per cubic meter;

Msf

is the mass per unit area of fibre, in grams per square meter;

is the width, in millimeters;

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EN 2561:1995

(11)A

is the strain parallel to the fibre direction corresponding to PR/10;

(11)B

is the strain parallel to the fibre direction corresponding to PR/2.

8.5 Poissons ratio 12

where:
(11)A

is the strain parallel to the fibre direction corresponding to PR/10;

(11)B

is the strain parallel to the fibre direction corresponding to PR/2;

(22)A

is the strain perpendicular to the direction corresponding to PR/10;

(22)B

is the strain perpendicular to the direction corresponding to PR/2.

8.6 Percentage strain to failure A %

A % = 100 (11)R
(11)R = strain to failure parallel to the fibre direction
8.7 Validity
The failure shall occur within the free length of the specimen but may extend under the end tabs or within
the test machine jaws.

9 Designation
EXAMPLE:

10 Test report
It shall include the following:
designation (see 9);
all data ensuring the traceability of the material (trade mark, identification, marking, date of receipt
etc.);
all information regarding specimen preparation;
specimen dimensions;
test conditions, for example test temperature, relative humidity if these differ from this standard;
exposure time at the test temperature;
load/strain diagram;
ultimate tensile strength T11 and mode of failure;
method of strain measurement (extensometer or strain gauges);
secant modulus ET11 between PR/10 and PR/2;
Poissons ratio 12 (if required);
ultimate tensile strength related to the fibre f (if required);
secant modulus Ef between PR/10 and PR/2 related to the fibre (if required);
percentage strain to failure A (%);
individual values, arithmetic mean and standard deviation;
any incident which may have affected the results.

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EN 2561:1995

Annex A (normative)
Form, dimensions of specimen, test fixture
See Figure A.1 and Figure A.2 and Table A.1. The dimensions are expressed in millimetres.

Figure A.1 Specimen and test fixture, types A and B

Figure A.2 Specimen and test fixture, type C

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EN 2561:1995

Table A.1
Specimen type

Symbol

Bb

Cc

10 0,5

15 0,5

15 0,5

ha

2 0,2

1 0,2

1 0,2

If the ply thickness causes any uncertainty regarding the number of layers necessary to obtain a laminate of the required
thickness, this number of layers shall be specified in the relevant material standard.
b
Specimens provided with end tabs of 1581 type glass -epoxy laminate, arranged at 45 (thickness between 0,5 mm and 1 mm).
End tabs are bonded onto the specimen using an adhesive. The type of adhesive and its curing cycle shall be compatible with the
test conditions, the thermal characteristics of the end tabs and those of the material.
c Specimens without end tabs reserved for machines with jaws whose grip pressure is regulated during the test (hydraulic device or
equivalent).

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10

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BS EN 2561:1995

List of references

See national foreword.

BSI 09-1999

BS EN
2561:1995

BSI British Standards Institution

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