Tear

Tear strength testing measures the force required to advance a previously made cut in the material. It is a different property from tensile strength: the rupture test shows the load-carrying capacity of the entire material, and the tear test shows the resistance of an existing damage to propagation. In use, damage often starts from a small cut, so tear resistance is more decisive in practice. Different standards are used in textiles and leather and their results are not comparable.

The purpose is to determine how well the fabric resists the growth of minor damage that occurs in use and to verify specification compliance.

• Outerwear and workwear fabrics
• Home textile and upholstery fabrics
• Tents, awnings and tarpaulins
• Technical and industrial textiles
• coated fabrics
• Shoe upper leathers and saddlery leathers

• TS EN ISO 13937-1 (textile — ballistic pendulum, Elmendorf)
• TS EN ISO 13937-2 (textile — trouser-shaped sample, single tear)
• TS EN ISO 13937-3 (textile — wing-shaped sample)
• TS EN ISO 13937-4 (textile — tongue-shaped sample, double tear)
• ASTM D1424 (Elmendorf)
• ASTM D2261 (tongue tear)
• TS EN ISO 3377-1 / -2 (leather — single and double edge tearing load)
• TS EN ISO 2418 / 2419 (leather — sampling and conditioning)

Conditioning

ISO 139 in textiles (20 °C ± 2 °C, 65 ± 4% relative humidity); ISO 2419 on leather

Orientation

In textile, warp and weft, in leather, parallel and perpendicular directions to the spine are measured separately.

Method selection

The pendulum method is suitable for thin fabrics, the methods with a pulling device are suitable for heavy fabrics and leather.

Thickness

The result on the skin depends on the thickness; Thickness is measured and reported

• Elmendorf ballistic pendulum device
• Constant elongation rapid tensile tester
• Tear test jaws and pins (for leather)
• Sample cutting die and templates
• Thickness gauge
• Conditioning chamber

• Separate sample sets for each direction (warp/weft in textile, parallel/perpendicular to the spine in leather)
• The number of repetitions prescribed by the standard (varies depending on the method)
• Textile samples should be cut by sliding so that they do not contain the same warp or weft threads.
• The skin sample should be taken from the area defined in ISO 2418 and its thickness should be measured.
• The initial incision should be made at the length and position defined in the standard.

The experiment itself is short; sample preparation and conditioning determine the duration. As the number of methods and directions increases, the total time increases.

1. 1The samples are conditioned and cut by marking according to direction.
2. 2The initial incision defined in the standard is opened.
3. 3The sample is connected to the device as prescribed by the standard.
4. 4The pendulum is released or the jaws are separated at the defined speed.
5. 5The tear force is recorded; In methods with tensile devices, the peak values ​​are averaged.
6. 6Results for each direction are reported separately.

The acceptance criterion is the minimum force value in the product standard or customer specification. The test standard defines the method, not the passing value.

Directional results are evaluated separately; usually one is significantly lower and determines the weakness of the product. Results obtained with different methods (pendulum, tongue, single/double edge) cannot be compared numerically; The specification should clearly state which part of which standard is required.

• Sample description, material type and structure
• Applied standard section and sample format
• Individual and average force values ​​(N) for each direction
• Skin thickness and N/mm result if necessary
• Standard deviation and coefficient of variation
• Conditioning conditions

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

• EU 1007/2011 (textile fibre names and labelling)
• EU 1907/2006 REACH Annex XVII (restricted substances in textiles)
• Regulation on the Naming of Textile Products

The section below describes the field that the Tear test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

• Fiber Composition
• GSM
• Bursting
• Pilling
• Dimensional Stability
• Shrinkage
• Water Resistance
• Air Permeability
• Tensile
• Abrasion
• Formaldehyde
• Azo Dyes