ASTM D882-26a: Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting
Bend don’t break. It’s a phrase used in many walks of life. The defense of a football team that gives up yards but doesn’t allow a touchdown. The student that does just enough to pass the class despite failing a midterm. The expression can also refer to tensile properties of plastics. Sort of. ASTM D882-26a, Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting is a standard that looks to specifically dive into the delineation of characteristics in plastics relating to tension.
These characteristics are found through a process called tensile testing. Generally, the subject is exposed to a certain amount of tension until it can no longer exist in its original form. Using a mechanical device with a stationary part and a moveable part, both with grips to hold the specimen, the plastic is pulled. In this case, unlike that football team and student, it bends (or more accurately stretches) until it breaks. Don’t worry though. That’s the point.
From this process numerous traits of the material being tested can be found. According to ASTM D882-26a, these properties include tensile stress, elongation, and modulus. Amongst other things, these kinds of characteristics “can be utilized to provide data for research and development and engineering design as well as quality control and specification.”
It’s important to note that ASTM D882-26a refers directly to certain thickness of plastics. ASTM D882-26a refers to plastics “in the form of thin sheeting and films (less than 1.0 mm (0.04 in.) in thickness).” Unearthing the same properties in plastics that are thicker than 1.0 mm or 0.04 inches can be found using the test procedures found in ASTM D638-22: Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics.
Changes to ASTM D638-26
ASTM D638-26 revised the 2018 edition of the same standard test method. Some if its changes of note were:
- Revised Note 2 on ASTM D638
- Added new Note 4 on alternative names for Tensile Modulus of Elasticity in the context of the standard and updated numbering of subsequent notes
- Updated Note 5 on this test method being technically similar to ISO 527-3
- Revised 2.1 on referenced ASTM standards
- Added language to 3.1.1 on this standard’s terms in accordance with ASTM D883 and ASTM E456
- Revised 6.2, ” Extensometer (Optional)”
- Moved 6.5.1 into new Note 10 on devices that use razor blades
- Removed 6.5.2 and 6.5.3
- Revised 9.2 on the number of test specimens in the case of anisotropic materials
- Moved language form 9.3 to 12.2, “Breaking factor”
- Revised 10.3, 11.1, and 11.5
- Removed mandatory language from Note 18 (formerly Note 16)
- Revised 12.12 and 14.1
- Revised Table 2, “Precision Data for Modulus.”
- Removed 14.1.1. (16) Revised 14.1.2 on the 1981 study
- Removed 14.2 and moved language to 14.1
- Removed footnotes and references from Tables 3 to 7
- Moved language from 14.3 to 14.1
- Removed 14.3.1 and 14.3.2
- Revised 14.3.3
- Revised 14.4
A following update, ASTM D638-26a revised the 2026 edition. This saw the following changes:
- Added new Note 3 relating to the composition of plastics in the form of thin sheeting and films
- Added new 12.2 on using total thickness in the calculation
- Renumbered notes and their references after the new note addition
ASTM D882-26a, Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting is available at the ANSI Webstore.
