About Static Shear

Static Shear Test

• A static shear test is usually conducted on materials that are made out of metal or composite materials. Composite materials are composed of more than two materials and can be made from metal, plastic, wood or fiberglass, to name just a few examples. This test measures the internal strength of a material to see how much force it can withstand before the force causes the material to break.

Method

• A static shear test is conducted by placing a material in a device like a clamp. The material then has weight applied to it. This test is called a "static shear test" because the amount of weight applied to the material remains the same throughout the test. The test also considers time as a factor, and ultimately measures how the material withstands the force of weight through a fixed amount of time.

Applications

• The practical application of a shear strength test is ultimately to see if a material is suitable for use in certain projects. Materials must perform according to specifications of their durability. The government monitors material reliability to ensure that no harm results from faulty manufacturing practices or inadequate material testing before a product is marketed. Static shear testing is used to assess the strength of the steel rivets used in constructing bridges. These rivets must bear a significant weight load from the surrounding concrete and steel infrastructure of a bridge.

Other Material Tests

• Besides static shear, other properties of a material are tested and measured in the process of determining their potential function or viability as a material. Materials are tested for their hardness by colliding a steel or diamond cone with their surface; the resulting indentations are measured to determine how the material responds to direct impacts of force. Another test measures the "fatigue" of a material, which is how the material responds to repetitive stresses over time. Further tests include the ability of a material to conduct energy like heat or electricity, how a material deforms and holds a shape under pressure, which is called ductility, and how flexible a material is.