Compressive Strength (ASTM D695)

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What is Compressive Strength?

Compressive strength is a material’s ability to resist forces that try to crush, compress, or shorten it. It indicates how much load a material can withstand before it fails or deforms permanently.

Why is it Important?

Compressive strength is a key mechanical property because it helps determine whether a material can safely support loads during service.

The Test is commonly used to evaluate:

  • Structural materials
  • Repair materials
  • Grouts
  • Coatings and composites used in load-bearing applications

Higher compressive strength generally indicates a stronger and more durable material.

How is the Test Performed?

  1. A test specimen with defined dimensions is prepared.
  2. The specimen is placed between two compression platens in a testing machine.
  3. A compressive load is applied at a controlled rate.
  4. The load continuously increases while the deformation is measured.
  5. The test continues until the specimen fails, crushes, or reaches a specified deformation limit.

What Does the Result Mean?

Compressive Strength is the maximum compressive stress the material can withstand before failure.

The result is typically reported in:

  • MPa (Megapascals)
  • psi (Pounds per Square Inch)

A higher value means the material can carry greater compressive loads before it breaks or deforms.

Example

If Material A has a compressive strength of 80 MPa and Material B has a compressive strength of 40 MPa, Material A can withstand approximately twice the compressive load before failure.

Summary

ASTM D695 is a compression test that measures a material’s resistance to crushing forces. A specimen is compressed under a controlled load until it fails or deforms significantly. The resulting compressive strength value indicates the material’s load-bearing capability and resistance to compressive stress.

Source: Chesterton ARC Manuals, astm.org

Please note:
Despite thorough research, our description may contain inaccuracies regarding the most current ASTM procedures.
Our description should be considered solely as an overview for informational purposes.

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