Designation: D7136/D7136M – 12

Standard Test Method for

Measuring the Damage Resistance of a Fiber-Reinforced
Polymer Matrix Composite to a Drop-Weight Impact Event1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7136/D7136M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the
year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last
reapproval. A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each

1.1 This test method determines the damage resistance of system shall be used independently of the other. Combining

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multidirectional polymer matrix composite laminated plates values from the two systems may result in non-conformance
subjected to a drop-weight impact event. The composite with the standard.
material forms are limited to continuous-fiber reinforced poly- 1.5.1 Within the text the inch-pound units are shown in
mer matrix composites, with the range of acceptable test brackets.
laminates and thicknesses defined in 8.2. 1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
1.1.1 Instructions for modifying these procedures to deter- safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
mine damage resistance properties of sandwich constructions responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
are provided in Practice D7766/D7766M. priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
1.2 A flat, rectangular composite plate is subjected to an bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
out-of-plane, concentrated impact using a drop-weight device 2. Referenced Documents
with a hemispherical impactor. The potential energy of the
drop-weight, as defined by the mass and drop height of the 2.1 ASTM Standards:2
impactor, is specified prior to test. Equipment and procedures D792 Test Methods for Density and Specific Gravity (Rela-
are provided for optional measurement of contact force and tive Density) of Plastics by Displacement
velocity during the impact event. The damage resistance is D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
quantified in terms of the resulting size and type of damage in D3771 Specification for Rubber Seals Used in Concentrat-
the specimen. ing Solar Collectors
1.3 The test method may be used to screen materials for D3763 Test Method for High Speed Puncture Properties of
damage resistance, or to inflict damage into a specimen for Plastics Using Load and Displacement Sensors
subsequent damage tolerance testing. When the impacted plate D3878 Terminology for Composite Materials
is tested in accordance with Test Method D7137/D7137M, the D5229/D5229M Test Method for Moisture Absorption
overall test sequence is commonly referred to as the Compres- Properties and Equilibrium Conditioning of Polymer Ma-
sion After Impact (CAI) method. Quasi-static indentation per trix Composite Materials
Test Method D6264/D6264M may be used as an alternate D5678 Test Method for Freeze/Thaw Resistance of Wax
method of creating damage from an out-of-plane force and Emulsion Floor Polish
measuring damage resistance properties. D6264/D6264M Test Method for Measuring the Damage
1.4 The damage resistance properties generated by this test Resistance of a Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Com-
method are highly dependent upon several factors, which posite to a Concentrated Quasi-Static Indentation Force
include specimen geometry, layup, impactor geometry, impac- D7137/D7137M Test Method for Compressive Residual
tor mass, impact force, impact energy, and boundary condi- Strength Properties of Damaged Polymer Matrix Compos-
tions. Thus, results are generally not scalable to other configu- ite Plates
rations, and are particular to the combination of geometric and D7766/D7766M Practice for Damage Resistance Testing of
physical conditions tested. Sandwich Constructions
1.5 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units E4 Practices for Force Verification of Testing Machines
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in E6 Terminology Relating to Methods of Mechanical Testing
E18 Test Methods for Rockwell Hardness of Metallic Ma-
terials
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D30 on
Composite Materials and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D30.05 on
2
Structural Test Methods. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved April 1, 2012. Published May 2012. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 2005. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as D7136/D7136M - 07. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
DOI: 10.1520/D7136_D7136M-12. the ASTM website.

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 D7136/D7136M – 12
E122 Practice for Calculating Sample Size to Estimate, to the face of the specimen from the lowest point in the dent to
With Specified Precision, the Average for a Characteristic the plane of the impacted surface that is undisturbed by the
of a Lot or Process dent.
E177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in 3.2.3 nominal value, n—a value, existing in name only,
ASTM Test Methods assigned to a measurable property for the purpose of conve-
E456 Terminology Relating to Quality and Statistics nient designation. Tolerances may be applied to a nominal
E1309 Guide for Identification of Fiber-Reinforced value to define an acceptable range for the property.
Polymer-Matrix Composite Materials in Databases 3.2.4 principal material coordinate system, n—a coordinate
E1434 Guide for Recording Mechanical Test Data of Fiber- system with axes that are normal to the planes of symmetry
Reinforced Composite Materials in Databases inherent to a material.
E2533 Guide for Nondestructive Testing of Polymer Matrix 3.2.4.1 Discussion—Common usage, at least for Cartesian
Composites Used in Aerospace Applications axes (123, xyz, and so forth), generally assigns the coordinate
2.2 Military Standards: system axes to the normal directions of planes of symmetry in
MIL-HDBK-17-3F Composite Materials Handbook, Vol- order that the highest property value in a normal direction (for
ume 3—Polymer Matrix Composites Materials Usage, elastic properties, the axis of greatest stiffness) would be 1 or
Design and Analysis3 x, and the lowest (if applicable) would be 3 or z. Anisotropic
MIL-HDBK-728/1 Nondestructive Testing4 materials do not have a principal material coordinate system
MIL-HDBK-731A Nondestructive Testing Methods of due to the total lack of symmetry, while, for isotropic materials,
Composite Materials—Thermography4 any coordinate system is a principal material coordinate
MIL-HDBK-732A Nondestructive Testing Methods of system. In laminated composites, the principal material coor-
Composite Materials—Acoustic Emission4 dinate system has meaning only with respect to an individual
MIL-HDBK-733A Nondestructive Testing Methods of orthotropic lamina. The related term for laminated composites
Composite Materials—Radiography4 is “reference coordinate system.”
MIL-HDBK-787A Nondestructive Testing Methods of 3.2.5 recorded contact force, F [MLT-2], n—the force ex-
Composite Materials—Ultrasonics4 erted by the impactor on the specimen during the impact event,
NASA Reference Publication 1092 Standard Tests for as recorded by a force indicator.
Toughened Resin Composites, Revised Edition, July 3.2.6 reference coordinate system, n—a coordinate system
19835 for laminated composites used to define ply orientations. One
of the reference coordinate system axes (normally the Carte-
3. Terminology sian x-axis) is designated the reference axis, assigned a
3.1 Definitions—Terminology D3878 defines terms relating position, and the ply principal axis of each ply in the laminate
to composite materials. Terminology D883 defines terms is referenced relative to the reference axis to define the ply
relating to plastics. Terminology E6 defines terms relating to orientation for that ply.
mechanical testing. Terminology E456 and Practice E177 3.2.7 striker tip, n—the portion or component of the impac-
define terms relating to statistics. In the event of a conflict tor which comes into contact with the test specimen first during
between terms, Terminology D3878 shall have precedence the impact event.
over the other standards. 3.3 Symbols:
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard: A = cross-sectional area of a specimen
3.2.1 If the term represents a physical quantity, its analytical CE = specified ratio of impact energy to specimen thickness
dimensions are stated immediately following the term (or letter CV = coefficient of variation statistic of a sample population
symbol) in fundamental dimension form, using the following for a given property (in percent)
ASTM standard symbology for fundamental dimensions, D = damage diameter (see Fig. 11)
shown within square brackets: [M] for mass, [L] for length, [T] d = dent depth
for time, [u] for thermodynamic temperature, and [nd] for E = potential energy of impactor prior to drop
non-dimensional quantities. Use of these symbols is restricted E1 = absorbed energy at the time at which force versus time
to analytical dimensions when used with square brackets, as curve has a discontinuity in force or slope
the symbols may have other definitions when used without the Ea = energy absorbed by the specimen during the impact
brackets. event
3.2.2 dent depth, d [L], n—residual depth of the depression Ei = actual impact energy (incident kinetic energy)
formed by an impactor after the impact event. The dent depth Emax = absorbed energy at the time of maximum recorded
shall be defined as the maximum distance in a direction normal contact force
F = recorded contact force
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F1 = recorded contact force at which the force versus time

3
Available from U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Materials Directorate, Ab- curve has a discontinuity in force or slope
erdeen Proving Ground, MD 21001. Fmax = maximum recorded contact force
4
Available from U.S. Army Materials Technology Laboratory, Watertown, MA g = acceleration due to gravity
02471.
5
Available from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)- h = specimen thickness
Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681-2199. H = impactor drop height

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 D7136/D7136M – 12

NOTE—Clamp tip centered 0.25 in. from edge of cut-out.

FIG. 1 Impact Support Fixture (Inch-Pound Version)

NOTE—Clamp tip centered 6 mm from edge of cut-out.

FIG. 2 Impact Support Fixture (SI Version)

l = specimen length –x = mean or average (estimate of mean) of a sample popu-

m = impactor mass lation for a given property
md = impactor mass for drop height calculation d = impactor displacement
mdlbm = impactor mass in standard gravity for drop height
calculation
4. Summary of Test Method
n = number of specimens per sample population
N = number of plies in laminate under test 4.1 A drop-weight impact test is performed using a bal-
Sn-1 = standard deviation statistic of a sample population for anced, symmetric laminated plate. Damage is imparted through
a given property out-of-plane, concentrated impact (perpendicular to the plane
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t = time during impactor drop and impact event of the laminated plate) using a drop weight with a hemispheri-
ti = time of initial contact cal striker tip. The damage resistance is quantified in terms of
tT = contact duration (total duration of the impact event) the resulting size and type of damage in the specimen. The
w = specimen width damage response is a function of the test configuration;
v = impactor velocity comparisons cannot be made between materials unless identi-
vi = impactor velocity at time of initial contact, ti cal test configurations, test conditions, and so forth are used.
W12 = distance between leading edges of the two flag prongs 4.2 Optional procedures for recording impact velocity and
on velocity indicator applied contact force versus time history data are provided.
xi = test result for an individual specimen from the sample 4.3 Preferred damage states resulting from the impact are
population for a given property located in the center of the plate, sufficiently far from the plate

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 D7136/D7136M – 12

FIG. 3 Representative Rigid Base (Inch-Pound Version)

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FIG. 4 Representative Rigid Base (SI Version)

edges such that the local states of stress at the edges and at the 5.2 Drop-weight impact testing can serve the following
impact location do not interact during the damage formation purposes:
event. 5.2.1 To establish quantitatively the effects of stacking
sequence, fiber surface treatment, variations in fiber volume
5. Significance and Use fraction, and processing and environmental variables on the
5.1 Susceptibility to damage from concentrated out-of-plane damage resistance of a particular composite laminate to a
impact forces is one of the major design concerns of many concentrated drop-weight impact force or energy.
structures made of advanced composite laminates. Knowledge 5.2.2 To compare quantitatively the relative values of the
of the damage resistance properties of a laminated composite damage resistance parameters for composite materials with
plate is useful for product development and material selection. different constituents. The damage response parameters can

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 D7136/D7136M – 12

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FIG. 5 Impact Device with Cylindrical Tube Impactor Guide Mechanism

FIG. 6 Impact Device with Double Column Impactor Guide Mechanism

include dent depth, damage dimensions, and through-thickness 5.2.3 To impart damage in a specimen for subsequent
locations, F1, Fmax, E1 and Emax, as well as the force versus damage tolerance tests, such as Test Method D7137/D7137M.
time curve.

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 D7136/D7136M – 12

FIG. 7 Drop-Weight Impact Test Specimen (Inch-Pound Version)

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FIG. 8 Drop-Weight Impact Test Specimen (SI Version)

5.3 The properties obtained using this test method can ness, stacking sequence, and so forth. However, it must be
provide guidance in regard to the anticipated damage resistance understood that the damage resistance of a composite structure
capability of composite structures of similar material, thick- is highly dependent upon several factors including geometry,

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 D7136/D7136M – 12

FIG. 9 Representative Impactor Force versus Time History

FIG. 10 Impactor Force versus Time History with Harmonic Resonance

thickness, stiffness, mass, support conditions, and so forth. damage resistance characteristics of an unstiffened monolithic
Significant differences in the relationships between impact skin or web than that of a skin attached to substructure which
force/energy and the resultant damage state can result due to resists out-of-plane deformation. Similarly, test specimen prop-
differences in these parameters. For example, properties ob- erties would be expected to be similar to those of a panel with
tained using this test method would more likely reflect the equivalent length and width dimensions, in comparison to
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 D7136/D7136M – 12

FIG. 11 Measurement of Extent of Damage

those of a panel significantly larger than the test specimen, impact and compressive residual strength tests can then be
which tends to divert a greater proportion of the impact energy performed using specimens impacted at an interpolated energy
into elastic deformation. level that is expected to produce the desired damage state.
5.4 The standard impactor geometry has a blunt, hemi-
spherical striker tip. Historically, for the standard laminate 6. Interferences
configuration and impact energy, this impactor geometry has 6.1 The response of a laminated plate specimen to out-of-
generated a larger amount of internal damage for a given plane drop-weight impact is dependent upon many factors,
amount of external damage, when compared with that observed such as laminate thickness, ply thickness, stacking sequence,
for similar impacts using sharp striker tips. Alternative impac- environment, geometry, impactor mass, striker tip geometry,
tors may be appropriate depending upon the damage resistance impact velocity, impact energy, and boundary conditions.
characteristics being examined. For example, the use of sharp Consequently, comparisons cannot be made between materials
striker tip geometries may be appropriate for certain damage unless identical test configurations, test conditions, and lami-
visibility and penetration resistance assessments. nate configurations are used. Therefore, all deviations from the
5.5 The standard test utilizes a constant impact energy standard test configuration shall be reported in the results.
normalized by specimen thickness, as defined in 11.7.1. Some 6.2 Material and Specimen Preparation—Poor material
testing organizations may desire to use this test method in fabrication practices, lack of control of fiber alignment, and
conjunction with D7137/D7137M to assess the compressive damage induced by improper specimen machining are known
residual strength of specimens containing a specific damage causes of high material data scatter in composites in general.
state, such as a defined dent depth, damage geometry, and so Important aspects of plate specimen preparation that contribute
forth. In this case, the testing organization should subject to data scatter include thickness variation, out-of-plane curva-
several specimens, or a large panel, to multiple low velocity ture, surface roughness, and failure to maintain the dimensions
impacts at various impact energy levels using this test method. specified in 8.2.
A relationship between impact energy and the desired damage 6.3 Specimen Geometry and Impact Location—The size,
parameter can then be developed. Subsequent drop weight shape, thickness, and stacking sequence of the plate, along with
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 D7136/D7136M – 12

FIG. 12 Commonly Observed Damage Modes from Out-of-Plane Drop-Weight Impact

the impact location, can affect the impact deformation and actual forces applied to the specimen and should not be filtered
damage formation behavior of the specimens significantly. The or smoothed. For both sources, the oscillations are typically
degree of laminate orthotropy can strongly affect the damage excited during initial contact and during damage formation.

--`,``,`````,,``,```````,,`,,``,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
formation. Results can be affected if the impact force is not For further definition and examples of force oscillatons, refer
applied perpendicular to the plane of the laminated plate. to Appendix X1 of Test Method D3763.
6.4 Support Fixture Characteristics—Results are affected 6.7 Impact Variables—Results are affected by differences in
by the support fixture cut-out dimensions, material, fixture the drop height, impact velocity, and impact energy. Results are
bending rigidity, and the rigidity of the surface that the support also affected by wave propagation and vibrations in the
fixture is located upon. The location of the clamps, clamp specimen, impactor, impact device and support fixture during
geometry, and the clamping force can affect the deformation of the impact event.
the specimen during impact. 6.8 Non-Destructive Inspection—Non-destructive inspec-
6.5 Impact Device Characteristics—Results are affected by tion (NDI) results are affected by the particular method
the rigidity of the impact device, friction between the impactor utilized, the inherent variability of the NDI method, the
and guide(s) during the drop, impactor geometry, and impactor experience of the operator, and so forth.
mass. Errors can result if the test specimen and specimen 6.9 Force F1 and absorbed energy E1 do not physically
support fixture are not centered with respect to the impact represent the initiation of damage, as sub-critical matrix cracks
device. and small delaminations may initiate at lower force and energy
6.6 Force Oscillations—Force versus time histories typi- values. Rather, F1 and E1 represent the initial value of force
cally contain many oscillations which may be introduced by and energy at which a change in the stiffness characteristics of
two primary sources. The first source is the natural frequency the specimen can be detected, respectively.
(or frequencies) of the impactor, and is often referred to as 6.10 The dent depth may “relax” or reduce with time or
“impactor ringing.” The ringing may be more severe if the upon exposure to different environmental conditions.
impactor components are not rigidly attached. The second 6.11 Non-laminated, 3-D fiber-reinforced composites may
source of force oscillations is the flexural vibration of the form damage through different mechanisms than laminates.
impacted specimen. The “ringing” oscillations generally occur
at higher frequencies than the oscillations generated by the 7. Apparatus
specimen. The high-frequency ringing oscillations do not 7.1 Micrometers and Calipers—The micrometer(s) shall be
typically represent an actual force transmitted to the specimen. used for specimen length, width and thickness measurements,
However, the oscillations caused by specimen motion are and shall use a 4 to 6 mm [0.16 to 0.25 in.] nominal diameter

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 D7136/D7136M – 12
ball-interface on irregular surfaces such as the bag-side of a 7.3.1 Impactor—The impactor shall have a mass of 5.5 6
laminate, and a flat anvil interface on machined edges or very 0.25 kg [12 6 0.5 lbm], and shall have a smooth hemispherical
smooth tooled surfaces. A caliper of suitable size shall be used striker tip with a diameter of 16 6 0.1 mm [0.625 6 0.005 in.]
for measurement of dimensions for detected damage. The and a hardness of 60 to 62 HRC as specified in Test Methods
accuracy of the instruments shall be suitable for reading to E18. Alternative impactors may be used to study relationships
within 1 % of the specimen width and thickness. For typical between visible damage geometry (e.g., dent depth, dent
specimen geometries, an instrument with an accuracy of diameter) and the internal damage state. If a different impactor
60.0025 mm [60.0001 in.] or better is desirable for thickness is used as part of the testing, the shape, dimensions and mass
measurement, while an instrument with an accuracy of 60.025 shall be noted and the results reported as non-standard.
mm [60.001 in.] or better is desirable for length, width, and
damage dimension measurement. NOTE 3—If the desired impact energy level cannot be achieved using
the standard impactor mass dropped from a height of at least 300 mm [12
NOTE 1—Calipers may be used for specimen length and width mea- in.], an impactor with a mass of 2.0 6 0.25 kg [4 6 0.5 lbm] shall be used
surements if the specimen is not intended to undergo subsequent com- instead.
pression residual strength testing in accordance with Test Method D7137/
D7137M. For specimens intended to undergo subsequent residual strength
7.3.2 Guide Mechanism—Historical guide mechanisms in-
testing, specimen length and width measurements shall use micrometers to clude single cylindrical tubes through which a cylindrical
ensure consistent measurement accuracy for both test methods. impactor travels (Fig. 5), as well as double-column guides for
a crosshead-mounted impactor (Fig. 6). The height of the guide
7.2 Support Fixture—The impact support fixture, shown in mechanism shall be sufficient to permit drop-weight testing for
Figs. 1 and 2, shall utilize a plate at least 20 mm [0.75 in.] thick the impact desired energy level. For cylindrical drop tubes, the
constructed from either aluminum or steel. The cut-out in the clearance between the impactor and tube inner diameter should
plate shall be 75 6 1 mm by 125 6 1 mm [3.0 6 0.05 in. by not exceed 1 mm [0.03 in.]. Details of the guide mechanism
5.0 6 0.05 in.]. The face of the plate shall be flat to within 0.1 geometry shall be noted. In all respects, guide friction shall be
mm [0.005 in.] in the area which contacts the test specimen. negligible; otherwise, velocity measurements shall be required
Guiding pins shall be located such that the specimen shall be and impact energy calculations shall be based upon the
centrally positioned over the cut-out. Four clamps shall be used measured velocity (Eq 4).
to restrain the specimen during impact. The clamps shall have
a minimum holding capacity of 1100 N (200 lbf). The tips of 7.3.3 Force Indicator—If utilized, the force indicator shall
the clamps shall be made of neoprene rubber with a durometer be in conformance with Practices E4 and Test Method D3763,
of 70-80 Shore A. The fixture shall be aligned to a rigid base and shall be capable of indicating the impact force imparted to
using bolts or clamps; a representative base design is shown in the test specimen. This device shall be essentially free from
Figs. 3 and 4. inertia-lag at the predicted impact velocity and shall indicate
the force with an accuracy over the force range(s) of interest to
NOTE 2—When impacted with the standard impactor (defined in 7.3.1) within 61 % of the indicated value. The force indicator shall
at the standard energy level defined in 11.7.1, the standard specimen has be positioned such that at least 95 % of the impactor mass is
historically developed damage sizes less than half of the unsupported located above it; the error in the force reading increases as the
specimen width (38 mm [1.5 in.]). Should the expected damage area percentage of mass located above the load cell decreases.
exceed this size (such as in studies for barely visible impact damage, for
example), it is recommended to examine alternative specimen and fixture 7.3.4 Velocity Indicator—The impact device may be instru-
designs, such as NASA 1092, which are larger and can accommodate mented to measure the velocity of the impactor at a given point
larger damage areas without significant interaction from edge support before impact, such that the impact velocity may be calculated.
conditions. Commonly, such systems use a double-pronged flag, which
7.3 Impact Device—Representative drop-weight impact obstruct a light beam between a photo-diode emitter and
testing devices are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. At a minimum, the detector. The leading edges of the flag prongs are typically
impact device shall include a rigid base, a drop-weight impac- separated by 3.0 to 10.0 mm [0.125 to 0.400 in.]. The flag
tor, a rebound catcher and a guide mechanism. The rebound prongs shall be positioned such that velocity measurement is
catcher is typically an inertially activated latch that trips upon completed between 3 to 6 mm [0.13 to 0.25 in.] vertically
the initial impact, then catches the impactor on a stop during its above the surface of the specimen. The impact velocity is
second decent. The rebound catcher must not affect the motion calculated using the measured time the light beam is obstructed
of the impactor until after the impactor has lost contact with the by each prong, as well as the time that an impact force is first
specimen after the initial impact. If such equipment is unavail- detected. Velocity measurement shall be accurate to within 5
able, rebound hits may be prevented by sliding a piece of rigid mm/s [0.20 in./s].
material (wood, metal, and so forth) between the impactor and 7.4 Conditioning Chamber—When conditioning materials
specimen, after the impactor rebounds from the specimen at non-laboratory environments, a temperature-/vapor-level
surface after impact. More complex devices may include controlled environmental conditioning chamber is required that
latching and hoist mechanisms, stop blocks or shock absorbers, shall be capable of maintaining the required temperature to
and instrumentation for determining impactor velocity and within 63°C [65°F] and the required relative humidity level
impact force. The use of velocity and force instrumentation is to within 63 %. Chamber conditions shall be monitored either
recommended to provide additional information about the on an automated continuous basis or on a manual basis at
impact event, but is not required. regular intervals.
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 D7136/D7136M – 12
7.5 Environmental Test Chamber—An environmental test TABLE 1 Recommended Layups for Various Nominal Cured Ply
chamber is required for test environments other than ambient Thicknesses, Unidirectional Tape
testing laboratory conditions. This chamber shall be capable of Nominal Cured Ply Thickness
Ply Count Layup
maintaining the test specimen at the required test environment Minimum, mm [in.] Maximum, mm [in.]
during the mechanical test. The test temperature shall be 0.085 [0.0033] 0.10 [0.004] 48 [45/0/-45/90]6S
maintained within 63°C [65°F] of the required temperature, 0.10 [0.004] 0.13 [0.005] 40 [45/0/-45/90]5S
0.13 [0.005] 0.18 [0.007] 32 [45/0/-45/90]4S
and the relative humidity level shall be maintained to within 0.18 [0.007] 0.25 [0.010] 24 [45/0/-45/90]3S
63 % of the required humidity level. 0.25 [0.010] 0.50 [0.020] 16 [45/0/-45/90]2S
7.6 Data Acquisition Equipment—For simple drop-weight 0.50 [0.020] 0.75 [0.030] 8 [45/0/-45/90]S
impact testing, no data acquisition equipment is required.
Equipment capable of recording force and velocity data is
required if those measurements are desired. If utilized, such with the warp and weft fibers oriented at the specified angles.
equipment shall be in accordance with Annex A1, Minimum Fabric laminates containing satin-type weaves shall have
Instrumentation Requirements, of Test Method D3763. The symmetric warp surfaces, unless otherwise specified and noted
natural frequency of the transducer-impactor assembly shall be in the report. Recommended layups for various nominal cured
greater than 6 kHz, the analog-to-digital converter shall be ply thicknesses are provided in Table 2. The laminated plate
8-bit or greater, the minimum sampling rate shall be 100 kHz, layup is to be defined such that the 0° fiber orientation is
and the data storage capacity shall be 1000 points or larger. aligned with the lengthwise (long) dimension.
7.7 Dent Depth Indicator—The dent depth can be measured 8.2.1.3 Alternative Stacking Sequences—Laminates fabri-
using a dial depth gage, a depth gage micrometer, a tripod- cated using other layups or fiber orientations, or both, may be
mounted depth gage, or a properly calibrated displacement evaluated for drop-weight impact damage resistance using this
transducer. The measuring probe shall have a spherical tip with test method. Tests conducted using alternative stacking se-

--`,``,`````,,``,```````,,`,,``,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
a maximum radius of curvature of 8.0 mm (0.35 in.). An quences must be designated as such, with the stacking se-
instrument with an accuracy of 625 mm [60.001 in.] is quence recorded and reported with any test results.
desirable for depth measurement. 8.2.2 Specimen Configuration—The geometry of the plate
7.8 Balance or Weighing Scale—An analytical balance or specimen is shown in Figs. 7 and 8.
weighing scale is required that is capable of measuring the NOTE 4—It is permissible to impact a panel larger than the specified
impactor mass accurately to 60.5 %. dimensions, then to cut out specimens (with the impact site centered) for
subsequent residual strength testing in accordance with Test Method
8. Sampling and Test Specimens D7137/D7137M, as long as the panel dimensions and procedures utilized
8.1 Sampling—Test at least five specimens per test condi- are recorded as a variation to the test method. Impacting a larger panel can
tion unless valid results can be gained through the use of fewer help relieve interaction between the edge conditions and the damage
specimens, as in the case of a designed experiment. For creation mechanisms.
statistically significant data the procedures outlined in Practice 8.3 Specimen Preparation—Guide D5678 provides recom-
E122 should be consulted. The method of sampling shall be mended specimen preparation practices and should be followed
reported. where practical.
8.2 Geometry: 8.3.1 Panel Fabrication—Control of fiber alignment is
8.2.1 Stacking Sequence—For comparison screening of the critical. Improper fiber alignment will affect the measured
drop-weight impact damage resistance of different materials, properties. Erratic fiber alignment will also increase the coef-
the standard specimen thickness shall be 4.0 to 6.0 mm [0.16 to ficient of variation. Report the panel fabrication method.
0.24 in.] with a target thickness of 5.0 mm [0.20 in.] and the Specimens shall be of uniform cross-section over the entire
laminate defined as follows: surface and shall not have a thickness taper greater than 0.08
8.2.1.1 Unidirectional Tape—Laminate construction shall mm [0.003 in.] in any direction across the length and width of
consist of the appropriate number of unidirectional plies to the specimen. The coefficient of variation for thickness mea-
achieve a total cured thickness nearest to 5.0 mm [0.20 in.] surements taken in 11.2.5 should be less than 2 %.
with a stacking sequence of [45/0/-45/90]NS where N is a
whole number. If the “nearest” thickness is less than 4.0 mm TABLE 2 Recommended Layups for Various Nominal Cured Ply
[0.16 in.], the next value of N shall be used (N+1). Recom- Thicknesses, Woven Fabric
mended layups for various nominal cured ply thicknesses are Nominal Cured Ply Thickness
provided in Table 1. The laminated plate layup is to be defined Ply Count Layup
Minimum, mm [in.] Maximum, mm [in.]
such that the 0° fiber orientation is aligned with the lengthwise
0.085 [0.0033] 0.10 [0.004] 48 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]12S
(long) dimension. 0.10 [0.004] 0.13 [0.005] 40 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]10S
8.2.1.2 Woven Fabric—Laminate construction shall consist 0.13 [0.005] 0.15 [0.006] 32 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]8S
of the appropriate number of fabric plies to achieve a total 0.15 [0.006] 0.18 [0.007] 28 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]7S
0.18 [0.007] 0.20 [0.008] 24 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]6S
cured thickness nearest to 5.0 mm [0.20 in.] with a stacking 0.20 [0.008] 0.25 [0.010] 20 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]5S
sequence of [(+45/-45)/(0/90)]NS where N is a whole number. 0.25 [0.010] 0.36 [0.014] 16 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]4S
If the “nearest” thickness is less than 4.0 mm [0.16 in.], the 0.36 [0.014] 0.50 [0.020] 12 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]3S
0.50 [0.020] 1.00 [0.040] 8 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]2S
next value of N shall be used (N+1). The designations 1.00 [0.040] 1.50 [0.060] 4 [(45/-45)/(0/90)]S
(+45/-45) and (0/90) represent a single layer of woven fabric

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 D7136/D7136M – 12
8.3.2 Machining Methods—Specimen preparation is ex- 11.1.7 If performed, sampling method, plate specimen ge-
tremely important for this specimen. Take precautions when ometry, and test parameters used to determine density and
cutting specimens from large panels to avoid notches, under- reinforcement volume.
cuts, rough or uneven surfaces, or delaminations due to 11.2 General Instructions:
inappropriate machining methods. Obtain final dimensions by 11.2.1 Report any deviations from this test method, whether
water-lubricated precision sawing, milling, or grinding. The intentional or inadvertent.
use of diamond-tipped tooling (as well as water-jet cutting) has 11.2.2 If specific gravity, density, reinforcement volume, or
been found to be extremely effective for many material void volume are to be reported, then obtain these samples from
systems. Edges should be flat and parallel within the specified the same panels being tested. Specific gravity and density may
tolerances. Machining tolerances and surface finish require- be evaluated by means of Test Method D792. Volume percent
ments are as noted in Figs. 7 and 8. Record and report the of the constituents may be evaluated by one of the procedures
specimen cutting methods. of Test Methods D3771.
8.3.3 Labeling—Label the plate specimens so that they will 11.2.3 Following final specimen machining, but before
be distinct from each other and traceable back to the raw conditioning, perform a baseline non-destructive inspection of
material, and will neither influence the test nor be affected by the specimen to detect flaws or defects which may exist prior
it. to impact testing. A variety of NDI techniques are available for
detecting both surface and interior flaws in composites. Visual
9. Calibration inspection and liquid penetrant methods can be used for
9.1 The accuracy of all measuring equipment shall have identifying surface defects, while more sophisticated tech-
certified calibrations that are current at the time of use of the niques are required for detecting internal flaws such as cracks,
equipment. splits and delaminations. These techniques include ultrasonics,
radiography, thermography, acoustic emission, modal analysis
10. Conditioning (such as instrumented tap testing) and eddy-current testing.
10.1 The recommended pre-test condition is effective mois- Guidance on available techniques and selection of appropriate
ture equilibrium at a specific relative humidity as established methods for specific composite applications is provided in
by Test Method D5229/D5229M, however, if the test requestor Guide E2533, as well as section 7.4.2 of MIL-HDBK-17-3F.
does not explicitly specify a pre-test conditioning environment, Basic principles and procedures for these methods are covered
no conditioning is required and the test specimens may be in the MIL-HDBK-728/1 series, while more specific informa-
tested as prepared. tion on the theory and interpretation of data can be found in
10.2 The pre-test specimen conditioning process, to include MIL-HDBK-731A for thermography, MIL-HDBK-732A for
specified environmental exposure levels and resulting moisture acoustic emission, MIL-HDBK-733A for radiography, and
content, shall be reported with the test data. MIL-HDBK-787A for ultrasonics. Record the method(s),
specification(s) and parameters used in the NDI evaluation(s).
NOTE 5—The term “moisture”, as used in Test Method D5229/
D5229M, includes not only the vapor of a liquid and its condensate, but NOTE 7—The NDI techniques discussed in Guide E2533 and MIL-
the liquid itself in large quantities, as for immersion. HDBK-17–3F each have particular attributes in regard to sensitivity to
different damage types, ability to detect different types of damage in three
10.3 If no explicit conditioning process is performed the dimensions, and so forth. It may be necessary to utilize a combination of
specimen conditioning process shall be reported as “uncondi- NDI techniques to properly characterize the three-dimensional damage
tioned” and the moisture content as “unknown”. state in some instances (for example, when multiple-layer delaminations
and matrix cracks are present).
11. Procedure 11.2.4 Condition the specimens as required. Store the speci-
11.1 Parameters to be Specified Prior to Test: mens in the conditioned environment until test time, if the test
11.1.1 The specimen sampling method, specimen type and environment is different than the conditioning environment.
geometry, and conditioning travelers (if required). 11.2.5 Following final specimen machining and any condi-
11.1.2 The damage resistance properties and data reporting tioning, but before all testing, measure the specimen width, w,
format desired. and length, l, at two locations in the vicinity of the location to
NOTE 6—Determine specific material property, accuracy, and data be damaged. The thickness of the specimen shall be measured
reporting requirements prior to test for proper selection of instrumentation at four locations near the impact location, and recorded as the
and data recording equipment. Estimate the specimen damage resistance average of the four measurements. The accuracy of all mea-
to aid in transducer selection, calibration of equipment, and determination surements shall be within 1 % of the dimension. Record the
of equipment settings. dimensions to three significant figures in units of millimetres
11.1.3 The environmental conditioning test parameters. [inches].
11.1.4 Diameter of striker tip and mass of impactor. 11.3 Test Environment—If possible, test the specimen under
11.1.5 Nominal impact energy and drop height. the same fluid exposure level used for conditioning. However,
11.1.6 If impact velocity is to be determined, predicted cases such as elevated temperature testing of a moist specimen
impact velocity and detector settings (for example, height of place unrealistic requirements on the capabilities of common
detector above test specimen, distance between leading edges environmental chambers. In such cases the mechanical test
of flag prongs). environment may need to be modified, for example, by testing
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at elevated temperature with no fluid exposure control, but with H = drop-height of impactor, in., and
a specified limit on time to test after withdrawal from the mdlbm = mass of impactor in standard gravity for drop
conditioning chamber. Record any modifications to the test height calculation, lbm.
environment.
NOTE 9—The selected impactor mass must permit a minimum drop
NOTE 8—When testing a conditioned specimen at elevated temperature height of 300 mm [12 in.].
with no fluid exposure control, the percentage moisture loss of the NOTE 10—The pound mass is defined such that one pound force
specimen prior to test completion may be estimated by placing a imparts an acceleration of 32.17 ft/s2 to it. In standard gravity, one pound
conditioned traveler coupon of known weight within the test chamber at force is numerically the same as one pound mass, so it is not necessary to
the same time the specimen is placed in the chamber. Upon completion of include the term for gravitational acceleration in the inch-pound version of
the test, the traveler coupon is removed from the chamber, weighed, and the equation.
the percentage weight calculated and reported.
11.7.3 Raise Impactor—Position the impactor at the calcu-
11.4 Impactor Preparation—Prepare the impactor by at- lated drop height.
taching the hemispherical striker tip and adding required mass. 11.8 Impact—Drop the impactor to impact the specimen
If the mass of the impactor (or any component(s) of the once without a rebound impact.
impactor) is unknown or uncertain, weigh the impactor (or
component(s)) to a precision of 60.5 % using the balance or NOTE 11—Some impact devices may utilize mechanisms to automati-
cally prevent rebound hits. If such equipment is unavailable, this may be
weighing scale. Mount the impactor in the impact device, and
done by sliding a piece of rigid material (wood, metal, and so forth)
prepare force measurement instrumentation as required. All of between the impactor and specimen, after the impactor rebounds from the
the components must be rigidly attached to each other, to specimen surface after impact.
minimize resonance during the impact event.
11.5 Specimen Installation—Place the specimen in the sup- 11.9 Data Recording—If instrumentation is utilized, record
port fixture, ensuring the specimen is centered relative to the force versus time data during contact continuously or at
cut-out. Unless otherwise specified, impact the tool side of the frequent regular intervals; for this test method, a sampling rate
specimen. Secure the specimen in place using the four rubber- of 100 kHz and a target minimum of 100 data points per test
tipped clamps (applying minimal clamping force such that the are recommended. Record the time at which the velocity
clamp tips barely touch the specimen) to prevent the specimen indicator light beam is interrupted by each of the flag prongs.
from rebounding during the impact event. The clamp tips 11.9.1 Examples of recorded contact force versus time
should be positioned approximately 25 mm [1.0 in.] from the curves are shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The onset of specimen-
specimen edges. impactor contact is noted by the detection of a non-zero contact
11.6 Velocity Indicator—If utilized, position the velocity force. As the impactor presses into the specimen, it will flex the
detector at a point such that the velocity measurement is specimen and form a local depression as the contact force
completed between 3 to 6 mm [0.13 to 0.25 in.] vertically increases. Sharp drops in recorded contact force indicate
above the surface of the specimen. damage processes that result in a sudden loss of stiffness in the
11.7 Drop Height: contact region.
11.7.1 Impact Energy Calculations—Calculate the impact NOTE 12—Rapid increases and decreases in recorded contact force
energy level using Eq 1 unless otherwise specified. Record the response with time, shown in Fig. 10, can result from harmonic resonance
impact energy level to three significant figures. of the impactor, load cell or specimen during the impact event. Significant
resonance can make determination of the F1 force and E1 energy difficult.
E 5 CE h (1) For material forms such as plastics, post-test digital smoothing is often
utilized to understand the effective peak force and absorbed energy in such
where: instances. For composite materials, however, the oscillations in the force
E = potential energy of impactor prior to drop, J [in.-lbf], response most often reflect actual forces applied to the specimen and
CE = specified ratio of impact energy to specimen thick- should not be smoothed out. The use of digital post-processing can also
ness, 6.7 J/mm [1500 in.-lbf/in], and “smooth out” sharp drops in the impact response curve. If smoothing is
h = nominal thickness of specimen, mm [in.]. used in data interpretation, both the recorded data and the post-processed
11.7.2 Drop Height Calculation—Calculate the drop height “smoothed” data shall be reported, along with a description of the
required to produce the specified impact energy, and record the post-processing algorithm. Additional information on interpreting data
drop height to three significant figures. Utilize Eq 2 when using from impact force data may be found in Appendix X1 of Test Method
D3763.
SI units and Eq 3 when using inch-pound units.
E 11.9.2 Parameters which can be determined from the con-
H5m g (2) tact force versus time curve(s) after the test include the F1 force
d
(recorded contact force at which the force versus time curve
where: has a discontinuity in force or slope), the maximum contact
H = drop-height of impactor, m, force Fmax, absorbed energy E1 (at F1 force), absorbed energy
md = mass of impactor for drop height calculation, kg, and Emax (at maximum contact force), and contact duration tT.
g = acceleration due to gravity, 9.81 m/s2. 11.10 Dent Depth—Measure the dent depth, as defined in
E 3.2.2, using a suitable dent depth indicator as defined in 7.7.
H5m (3)
dlbm The dent shall be measured immediately after the specimen is
impacted. If distances are measured relative to a fixed point,
where: the dent depth will be the difference between the lowest point
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 D7136/D7136M – 12
in the dent and the plate surface. The distance to the plane of include fixture alignment, impactor guide tube alignment, gaps
the specimen’s surface shall be the average of four measure- between the specimen and restraints, and specimen thickness
ments spaced 90° apart and at least 25 mm [1.0 in.] from the taper.
impact point to provide a sufficient distance away from the dent
to not influence the measurement. If the depth is measured 13. Calculation
directly using a depth gage, the depth shall be the average of 13.1 Impact Velocity—If the impact device is capable of
two measurements with the gage rotated 90° between measure- detecting the velocity of the impactor, calculate the impact
ments. The base of the depth gage shall be at least 50 mm [2.0 velocity using Eq 4 and report the results to three significant
in.] and sufficiently large to span over the region affected by the figures. This calculation is performed automatically by most
dent. These requirements also apply if the depth is measured systems with velocity detection capability, but may be per-
using a tripod-mounted depth gage (one which bases its formed manually using the indicated timing data if necessary.
reference surface on a micrometer holder that touches the
surface at three points on a prescribed diameter). The dent
depth shall be measured to the nearest 0.03 mm [0.001 in.].
vi 5
~W12!
~t2 2 t1!
1 g ti 2 S
~t1 1 t2!
2 D (4)

11.11 Dent Relaxation—Over time, or under environmental where:

exposure, the dent depth may decrease due to relaxation of the vi = impact velocity, m/s [in./s],
composite material. If information on short term dent relax- W12 = distance between leading edges of the first (lower)
ation is desired, measure the dent depth 7 days after impacting and second (upper) flag prongs, m [in.],
as in 11.10. Record the dent depth, the time duration after t1 = time first (lower) flag prong passes detector,
impacting that the measurement was taken, and the environ- t2 = time second (upper) flag prong passes detector, and
mental conditions prior to measurement. ti = time of initial contact obtained from force versus
11.12 Non-Destructive Inspection: time curve, s.
11.12.1 Evaluate the extent of damage caused by the impact 13.2 Measured Impact Energy—If the impact device is
event using non-destructive inspection (NDI) techniques. Uti- capable of detecting the velocity of the impactor, calculate the
lize NDI method(s), specification(s), and parameters consistent actual impact energy using Eq 5 and report the results to three
with those used to evaluate the specimen prior to impact in significant figures. This calculation is performed automatically
11.2.3. Record the method(s), specification(s), and parameters by most systems with velocity detection capability, but may be
used in the NDI evaluation(s). performed manually if necessary. The measured impact energy
may differ from the nominal impact energy calculated in 11.7.1
11.12.2 Measure and record geometric dimensions for the
due to friction losses during the drop.
detected damage, using a suitable instrument as defined in 7.1.
Using Fig. 11 as a guide, determine locations of the eight m vi2
Ei 5 2 (5)
indicated points relative to the center of the specimen. Also
determine the damage width, damage length, and maximum
where:
damage diameter. Alternative measurement locations may be Ei = measured impact energy, J [in.-lbf], and
required to characterize the extent of damage for non-standard m = mass of impactor, kg [lbm].
layups or fiber orientations, or both. Alternatively, automated 13.3 Statistics—Calculate the average value, standard de-
algorithms may be used to define the extent of damage and to viation, and coefficient of variation (in percent) for d for each
calculate the two-dimensional damage area using digital NDI series of tests If the impact device is capable of detecting the
data. contact force and velocity of the impactor, also perform such
NOTE 13—Dimensional tolerances for the measured damage width, calculations for impact velocity, impact energy, F1, Fmax, E1,
length and diameter are dependent upon the NDI method(s) utilized. Emax and tT for each series of tests:
n
11.12.3 Record the damage mode(s) observed for each –
x 5 ~ ( xi!/n (6)
specimen, and the surface(s) and location(s) at which the i51

damage modes are observed. More than one damage mode may
be present in a damaged specimen. Fig. 12 illustrates com-
monly observed damage modes.
Sn21 5 Œ( ~
n

i51
–
xi2 2 n x2!/~n 2 1! (7)

CV 5 100 3 Sn21/x– (8)

12. Validation
where:
12.1 Property values shall not be calculated for any speci- –x = sample mean (average),
men that forms damage or breaks at some obvious flaw, unless Sn-1 = sample standard deviation,
such flaw constitutes a variable being studied. Retests shall be CV = sample coefficient of variation, %,
--`,``,`````,,``,```````,,`,,``,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

performed for any specimen on which values are not calcu- n = number of specimens, and
lated. xi = measured or derived property.
12.2 If a significant number of specimens in a sample 13.4 Velocity versus Time—If the impact device is monitor-
population exhibit damage originating or extending signifi- ing contact force, generate a curve of nominal velocity versus
cantly away from the impact location, the impact support time using Eq 9 and numerical integration of the force versus
conditions shall be re-examined. Factors considered should time data. A positive velocity value represents downward

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motion. Common numerical integration algorithms used in this 14.1.5 Description of the fabrication steps used to prepare
application include the trapezoidal rule and Simpson’s rule (2 the parent laminate including: fabrication start date, fabrication
and 3 point Newton-Cotes formulas, respectively.6 The time end date, process specification, cure cycle, consolidation
step of the numerical integration must be equal to the time step method, and a description of the equipment used.
(inverse of the frequency) of data sampling. 14.1.6 Ply orientation and stacking sequence of the lami-
t F~t! nate, relative to the longitudinal (long) dimension.
v~t! 5 vi 1 g t 2 * 0 m dt (9)
14.1.7 If requested, report density, volume percent rein-
forcement, and void content test methods, specimen sampling
where: method and geometries, test parameters, and test results.
v = impactor velocity at time t, m/s [in./s],
t = time during test, in which t = 0 is the time when the 14.1.8 Method of preparing the test specimen, including
impactor initially contacts the specimen, s, and specimen labeling scheme and method, specimen geometry,
F = measured impactor contact force at time t, N [lbf]. sampling method, and specimen cutting method.
13.5 Impactor Displacement versus Time—If the impact 14.1.9 Calibration dates and methods for all measurements
device is monitoring contact force, generate a curve of impac- and test equipment.
tor displacement versus time using Eq 10 and numerical 14.1.10 Type and configuration of test machine, data acqui-
integration of the force versus time data. A positive displace- sition equipment, data sampling rate.
ment value represents downward displacement from the drop 14.1.11 If applicable, type of velocity detector and key
height. parameters (for example, height of detector above test speci-
men, distance between leading edges of flag prongs), type of
* S* D
g t2 t t F~t!
d~t! 5 di 1 vi t 1 2 2
0 0 m dt dt (10) force detector.
14.1.12 Measured length, width and thickness for each
where: specimen (prior to and after damage and conditioning, if
d = impactor displacement at time t, m [in.], and appropriate).
di = impactor displacement from reference location at time 14.1.13 Weight of specimen, type of balance or weighing
t = 0, m [in.]. scale, and measurement accuracy.
13.6 Absorbed Energy versus Time—If the impact device is
14.1.14 Conditioning parameters and results.
monitoring contact force, generate a curve of energy absorbed
by the specimen versus time using Eq 11. 14.1.15 Relative humidity and temperature of the testing
laboratory.
m~vi2 2 v~t!2!
Ea~t! 5 1 m g d~t! (11) 14.1.16 Environment of the test machine environmental
2
chamber (if used) and soak time at environment.

--`,``,`````,,``,```````,,`,,``,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
where: 14.1.17 Number of specimens tested.
Ea = absorbed energy at time t, J [in.-lbf]. 14.1.18 Diameter of hemispherical impactor striker tip.
14. Report 14.1.19 Total mass of impactor.
14.1.20 Nominal impact energy and drop height.
14.1 Report the following information, or references point-
ing to other documentation containing this information, to the 14.1.21 Results of nondestructive evaluation tests, including
maximum extent applicable (reporting of items beyond the method, specification, inspection parameters and operator, both
control of a given testing laboratory, such as might occur with before and after impact.
material details or panel fabrication parameters, shall be the 14.1.22 Damage geometry, including positions of the eight
responsibility of the requestor): specified measurement points, damage width, damage length,
maximum damage diameter, damage area (if calculated), and
NOTE 14—Guides E1309 and E1434 contain data reporting recommen- through-thickness location.
dations for composite materials and composite materials mechanical
testing. 14.1.23 Damage modes and locations observed for each
specimen.
14.1.1 The revision level or date of issue of this test method.
14.1.2 The name(s) of the test operator(s). 14.1.24 Individual dent depths, along with average value,
14.1.3 Any variations to this test method, anomalies noticed standard deviation, and coefficient of variation (in percent) for
during testing, or equipment problems occurring during testing. the population.
14.1.4 Identification of all the applicable constituent infor- 14.1.25 If dent relaxation is evaluated, individual dent
mation, including: material specification, material type, manu- depths after relaxation, along with the time duration after
facturer’s material designation, manufacturer’s batch or lot impacting and the environmental conditions prior to measure-
number, source (if not from manufacturer), date of certifica- ment.
tion, expiration of certification, filament diameter, tow or yarn 14.1.26 Individual values of F1, Fmax, E1 and Emax, if these
filament count and twist, sizing, form or weave, fiber areal parameters were measured, along with average value, standard
weight, matrix type, matrix content, and volatiles content. deviation, and coefficient of variation (in percent) for the
population.
6
Whittaker, E. T., and Robinson, G., “ The Calculus of Observations: A Treatise 14.1.27 Contact force versus time history data for each
on Numerical Mathematics,” 4th ed., New York: Dover, 1967, pp. 156-158. specimen so evaluated.

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 D7136/D7136M – 12
14.1.28 Impact velocity and actual impact energy for each Committee D30 is currently planning a round-robin test series
specimen so evaluated, along with average value, standard for this test method in order to determine precision.
deviation, and coefficient of variation (in percent) for the 15.2 Bias—Bias cannot be determined for this test method
population. as no acceptable reference standard exists.
14.1.29 Contact duration for each specimen so evaluated,
along with average value, standard deviation, and coefficient of 16. Keywords
variation (in percent) for the population.
14.1.30 Velocity, impactor displacement and absorbed en- 16.1 composite materials; damage resistance; drop-weight
ergy versus time histories for each specimen so evaluated, impact; impact testing
along with method of numerical integration utilized.
15. Precision and Bias
15.1 Precision—The data required for the development of a
precision statement is not available for this test method.

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