Determination of Tear Strength in Fabrics

Tear Strength Test:
 Force required to propagate an existing tear is measured. As a part of the preparation of fabric specimen, a cut is in them and the force is required to extend the cut is measured.

This is conventionally carried out by gripping the two halves of the cut a standard tensile tester. 5 ward and 5 weft samples should be taken to carry out this test.

Types of Tear Strength Test: 

1. Single rip tear test/ Trouser tear test
2. Wing rip tear test

I. Single Rip Tear Test:  

According to SSEN ISO 13937(2) – 2000, a fabric sample of 200mm length and 50mm width is prepared with a single tear in it.

Mounting the Sample:

Fig: Tear strength test

Result: The overall mean tear force across weft, in newton (N) or centinewton (CN).

II. Wing Rip Tear Test:  

The Wing rip tear test overcomes some problems which are found with the single rip test as it is capable of testing most types of fabrics without causing a transfer of tear. During the test the point of tearing remains substantially in line with center of the grip.

Sample preparation: (According to British standrad)

Fig: Sample prepartion

Mounting in the Tensile Test:

Fig: Mounting sample

Five specimen across the warp and five specimen across the weft are tested.

Result: 

             Mean tear force N or CN