ASTM Standard E 1304
DCI Corporation offers fracture toughness testing in accordance with ASTM standard E 1304, "Standard Test Method for Plane-Strain (Chevron-Notch) Fracture Toughness of Metallic Materials," commonly referred to as the Short Rod test method. Fracture toughness measured by this test method is designated as KIv. This test method uses a test specimen whose shape is either a right cylinder (short rod) or a right rectangular shape (short bar). The test method allows measurement of true plane-strain fracture toughness using much smaller test specimens than is possible with other test methods. This test method can be used for brittle as well as non-brittle materials.
Fracture toughness tests are unique in the sense that a minimum specimen size must be used to obtain a valid plane-strain fracture toughness result. The minimum size is established to ensure that the crack front is subject primarily to plane-strain conditions (as opposed to plane-stress conditions which exist at the flank ends of a crack).
Specimen blanks for E 1304 testing may be prepared by the customer or by DCI. Specimen blanks should be prepared in accordance with the attached specifications once a minimum test specimen size has been determined.