ASTM D5379/D5379M-98 - 10.12.1998
 
1. Scope

1.1 This test method determines the shear properties of composite materials reinforced by high-modulus fibers. The composite materials are limited to continuous-fiber or discontinuous-fiber reinforced composites in the following material forms:

1.1.1 Laminates composed only of unidirectional fibrous laminae, with the fiber direction oriented either parallel or perpendicular to the loading axis.

1.1.2 Laminates composed only of woven-fabric filamentary laminae with the warp direction oriented either parallel or perpendicular to the loading axis.

1.1.3 Laminates composed only of unidirectional fibrous laminae, containing equal numbers of plies oriented at 0 and 90° in a balanced and symmetric stacking sequence, with the 0° direction oriented either parallel or perpendicular to the loading axis.

1.1.4 Short-fiber reinforced composites with a majority of the fibers being randomly distributed.

Note 1-This shear test concept was originally developed without reference to fiber direction for use on isotropic materials such as metals or ceramics.

1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. Within the text the inch-pound units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system must be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.

 
2. Referenced Documents

D3878-26

Standard Terminology for Composite Materials

E177-26a

Standard Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in ASTM Test Methods (Includes all amendments and changes 5/14/2026).

D792-20

Standard Test Methods for Density and Specific Gravity (Relative Density) of Plastics by Displacement

E122-17(2022)

Standard Practice for Calculating Sample Size to Estimate, With Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic of a Lot or Process

E111-17(2025)e1

Standard Test Method for Young’s Modulus, Tangent Modulus, and Chord Modulus (Includes all amendments and changes 12/11/2025).

E6-25

Standard Terminology Relating to Methods of Mechanical Testing

D883-26b

Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics (Includes all amendments and changes 8/24/2026).

D2584-25

Standard Test Method for Ignition Loss of Cured Reinforced Resins

D2734-23

Standard Test Methods for Void Content of Reinforced Plastics

D3171-22

Standard Test Methods for Constituent Content of Composite Materials

E4-24

Standard Practices for Force Calibration and Verification of Testing Machines

V-Notched Beam Shear Fixture Machining Drawings Available from ASTM International Headquarters. Order Adjunct No. .

ANSI/ASME B 46.1-1985

Surface Texture (Surface Roughness, Waviness, and Lay)

E1237-20

Standard Guide for Installing Bonded Resistance Strain Gages

E456-13a(2022)e1

Standard Terminology Relating to Quality and Statistics (Includes all amendments and changes 4/16/2024).

E251-20a

Standard Test Methods for Performance Characteristics of Metallic Bonded Resistance Strain Gages (Includes all amendments and changes 8/7/2020).

D5229/D5229M-20

Standard Test Method for Moisture Absorption Properties and Equilibrium Conditioning of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials