Measure Tensile Strength

TENSILE STRENGTH is the measure of the force or stress required (resistance to lengthwise stress) to pull a sample to the point where it breaks or before permanent deformation results.  

Usually it is the maximum amount of tensile stress that it can be subjected to before failure, although the definition of failure can vary according to material type and design methodology.

In the fields of material science, mechanical engineering and structural engineering there are three typical definitions of tensile strength:

• Yield strength: the stress at which material strain changes from elastic deformation to plastic deformation, causing it to deform permanently.
• Ultimate strength: the maximum stress a material can withstand.
• Breaking strength: the stress coordinate on the stress-strain curve at the point of rupture.

Tensile Strength can relate to the Toughness of products. The higher the tensile strength of a product, the more difficult or tougher it is to stretch. This property can be a positive feature in some products, for example in rope and rubber bands to an extent, but is regarded as unacceptable or negative in chewing gum, mozzarella cheese, noodles or Christmas crackers.

EXTENSIBILITY/ELONGATION is the degree (distance) to which a product can be extended/stretched before breaking. It is related to the 'elasticity' of a product. 

It is commonly the textural property possessed by raw baked goods (e.g. dough, pastry), cooked baked goods and pasta (e.g. pancakes, tortillas, noodles) but can be a novel property of confectionery products (e.g. liquorice, chewing gum).

Typical Methods & Fixtures for Tensile Strength Measurement in action:

Typical physical properties that can be obtained from a texture analysis graph:  
Tensile Strength, Burst Strength, Distance to Burst, Resistance to Extension/Toughness, Extensibility, Stretch Quality, Elasticity, Tug Force, Tear Strength.
 
A wide range of attachments is available for measuring texture analysis properties.  

Typical Texture Analyser graph
with annotated properties

The above are only typical examples of tensile strength measurement. 

We can of course design and manufacture probes or fixtures for the TA.XTplus texture analyser that are bespoke to your sample and its specific measurement.

Once your measurement is performed our expertise in its graphical interpretation is unparalleled – no-one understands texture analysis like we do. Not only can we develop the most suitable and accurate method for the testing of your sample but we can prepare analysis procedures that obtain the desired parameters from your curve and drop them into a spreadsheet or report designed around your requirements.

For more information on how to measure texture, please visit the Texture Analysis Properties section on our website.

To discuss your specific test requirements click here...