Compressive strength measures a material’s ability to resist lateral squeezing. Materials testing determines this property, important for building materials. Concrete, insulation, stone, and wood can be tested, and results can help engineers choose materials. Periodic tests ensure consistency in production and field tests confirm materials meet needs.
Compressive strength is a measure of a material’s ability to resist compressive forces, where it is squeezed laterally. Materials testing can determine the compressive strength of a material under optimal conditions, using a specialized device that applies known pressure loads to the materials of interest. There are a number of applications where assessments of this property are important, particularly with building materials, which must be strong enough to withstand failure during and after construction.
Concrete, insulation materials, stone and various forms of wood can be tested for compressive strength. During testing, technicians will note when signs of fatigue such as cracks, bends and pitting appear. They also record the breaking point, where the material breaks down. Multiple tests can be performed to confirm initial results and generate a series of readings. Especially with natural materials like wood, which may not always be consistent, it’s important to find the range that the material usually falls in to get a reasonable valuation.
Materials can be subjected to tremendous compressive forces in structures, where the weight of the structure creates intense lateral pressure, especially during events such as earthquakes and severe storms. Compressive strength can also be an issue with vehicles and vessels, ranging from space shuttles to sailboats. These vessels must be able to handle different levels of pressure at different times during operation without failure, and therefore the materials of construction used must be thoroughly tested.
An assessment of compressive strength can help an engineer decide on the best material choice, after considering other factors such as flexibility and corrosion resistance. Charts with data on common building materials are available through professional and trade organizations that work with building and construction materials. It is also possible to obtain product specifications from a manufacturer who can provide detailed information on the properties of the materials they process and produce. This information may include a discussion of test methods.
In production, periodic tests are used for quality control. Technicians want to make sure that products are consistent when they roll off the line and can provide test results to interested customers. In places like construction sites, workers can also perform field tests before starting projects, to confirm, for example, that a batch of concrete meets the needs of a given application. If the material fails the test, it may be defective and the construction company may be entitled to a refund or replacement from the manufacturer.
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