ISO 14130:1997 is an International Standard for determining the apparent interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of fibre-reinforced plastic composites using a short-beam, three-point bending approach.
This method is commonly used for comparative screening and quality control of laminated composite materials where interlaminar shear performance is a key concern. If you need help mapping ISO 14130 to your laminate type, fixture style, or required failure mode, talk with our team.
ISO 14130:1997 — Fibre-reinforced plastic composites — Determination of apparent interlaminar shear strength by short-beam method
ISO 14130 defines a standardized short-span, three-point bending procedure intended to promote interlaminar shear failure in fibre-reinforced plastic composites, enabling calculation and reporting of an apparent ILSS value.
Because short-beam results depend strongly on specimen layup, thickness, and failure mode, this standard is typically used for controlled comparisons (material-to-material, batch-to-batch, process-to-process) rather than as a standalone structural design property.
Quick Definition
What it is: A short-beam, three-point bend method for determining apparent interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of fibre-reinforced plastic composites.
What it produces: A reported apparent ILSS value based on the short-beam test setup and the observed failure load, with validity tied to obtaining the intended interlaminar shear failure mode.
How it is used: Commonly for screening, quality control, and comparative evaluations of laminated composite systems.
What This Standard Covers
ISO 14130 covers the laboratory determination of apparent interlaminar shear strength using a short-span three-point bending configuration designed to emphasize interlaminar shear effects.
The standard is applicable to fibre-reinforced plastic composites (including systems with thermoset or thermoplastic matrices) when the test setup produces an interlaminar shear-type failure appropriate for reporting under the method.
Why This Standard Matters in Testing
Interlaminar shear performance can be a practical indicator of laminate quality, resin/fibre bonding, processing consistency, and sensitivity to defects such as voids, poor consolidation, or contamination between plies.
In production and development environments, ISO 14130 is often selected because it provides a relatively fast, repeatable comparison when specimen preparation and failure mode control are managed carefully.
Common Materials, Product Types, or Applications Covered
ISO 14130 is most commonly applied to laminated fibre-reinforced plastics where delamination resistance or ply-to-ply integrity is a concern.
Common examples: Carbon-fibre or glass-fibre reinforced laminates, composite panels, cured laminate coupons from aerospace/industrial composite processes, and qualification/QC specimens from composite manufacturing.
Common Test or Verification Workflow
A typical ISO 14130 workflow involves preparing laminate specimens, loading them in a short-span three-point bending fixture, and recording the load at failure while confirming that the observed failure mode is appropriate for reporting apparent ILSS under the method.
Practical note: If the specimen fails in an unintended mode (for example, dominated by flexure, crushing at the supports, or other non-shear mechanisms), the reported value may not be meaningful for comparison—so test setup, span selection, and fixture condition are critical to getting usable results.
Equipment Commonly Used for This Standard
ISO 14130 is typically run on a universal testing machine configured for controlled loading in a three-point bend arrangement with a short span.
Common equipment: Universal testing machine (electromechanical or servo-hydraulic), appropriate load cell capacity, a three-point bending fixture suited to short spans (supports and loading nose), and aligned rollers/anvils that match the specimen size and composite surface condition.
Common options: Environmental conditioning (chamber) when tests must be run at a specified temperature/humidity, and data acquisition configured to capture peak load cleanly at failure.
If you are selecting a frame capacity, fixture style, or environmental setup for composite short-beam testing, you can request a detailed quote for a configuration matched to your specimen sizes and throughput.
How to Read This Designation or Revision
Base designation: ISO 14130.
Year in the citation: “ISO 14130:1997” identifies the 1997 edition (Edition 1). When a purchase order, drawing note, or test plan cites ISO 14130, the year matters because details such as reporting expectations or clarifications may be tied to the cited edition.
Corrigendum: ISO also publishes a corrigendum associated with this standard (ISO 14130:1997/Cor 1:2003). When compliance is required, confirm whether the corrigendum is included in the contractual or customer citation.
Related Standards, Methods, or Frameworks
Short-beam ILSS testing is also commonly specified using other regional or industry documents. Depending on customer requirements, ISO 14130 may be referenced directly or via regional adoptions (for example, EN ISO or DIN EN ISO designations).
In some programs, ASTM D2344 is used for a similar short-beam shear approach. When requirements come from multiple sources, align the exact cited document, edition/year, and acceptance criteria before testing.
Get help selecting a short-beam composite test setup
If you need a system for ISO 14130 work—fixture geometry, load capacity, alignment features, and optional environmental control—share your specimen dimensions and target throughput and ask for a quote.