Information on the most widely used ASTM standards within the materials testing industry
ASTM D143 – Standard Test Methods for Small Clear Specimens of Timber
ASTM D143 covers the determination of various strength and related properties of wood by testing small, clear specimens. These specimens are free of knots or other defects that might influence the test results. The standard includes a wide range of test methods for evaluating both mechanical and physical properties of wood.
ASTM D143 contains through 11 different mechanical tests for determining the various strength and elastic properties of wood:
| Static bending: | determines the modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity in bending. |
| Impact bending: | measures the energy absorbed in fracturing a specimen under impact loading. |
| Compression parallel to grain: | determines the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity parallel to the wood grain. |
| Compression perpendicular to grain: | measures the compressive strength perpendicular to the wood grain. |
| Shear parallel to grain: | evaluates the shear strength parallel to the wood grain. |
| Cleavage: | assesses the resistance of wood to splitting along the grain. |
| Tension parallel to grain: | measures the tensile strength parallel to the wood grain. |
| Tension perpendicular to grain: | determines the tensile strength perpendicular to the wood grain. |
| Hardness: | evaluates the resistance of wood to indentation. |
| Nail withdrawal: | measures the force required to withdraw a nail from wood. |
| Toughness: | measure the surface toughness of wood. |
Example sample of wood tension test prependicular to grain:

All specimens were prepared for testing at in accordance with the ASTM D143 standard for specimen preparation and testing.
Specimens were cut into the “dog bone” shape with dimensions Illustrated in below figure and varying thicknesses depending on the inherent thickness of the particular product.
Related Standard
ASTM D1037 - Standard Test Methods for Evaluating Properties of Wood-Base Fiber and Particle Panel Materials
ASTM D1037 test methods cover the determination of the properties of wood-base fiber and particle panel materials that are produced as mat-formed panels such a particleboard, medium density fiberboard, hardboard, and oriented strand board.
ASTM D1037 test methods cover small-specimen tests for wood-base fiber and particle panel materials that are made to provide: Data for comparing the mechanical and physical properties of various materials,
Data for determining the influence on the basic properties of such factors as raw material and processing variables, post-treatments of panels, and environmental influences, and
Data for manufacturing control, product research and development, and specification acceptance.
ASTM D6109 – Standard Test Methods for Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastic Lumber and Related Products
As Per ASTM D6109, "The test methods are suitable for determining the flexural properties for any solid or hollow manufactured plastic lumber product of square, rectangular, round, or other geometric cross section that shows viscoelastic behavior. The test specimens are whole "as manufactured" pieces without any altering or machining of surfaces beyond cutting to length. As such, this is a test method for evaluating the properties of plastic lumber as a product and not a material property test method. Flexural strength cannot be determined for those products that do not break or that do not fail in the extreme outer fiber."
Applicable Products: Plastic lumber products
ASTM D3500 Standard Test Methods for Structural Panels in Tension
ASTMD3500 test methods cover the determination of the tensile properties of wood structural panels. To determine the tensile properties of wood structural panels in response to stresses acting in the plane of the panle.
The Wood structural panels in use include plywood, oriented strand board and composites of veneer, and other wood-based layers.
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