DESIGN-DATA FOR ENGINEERING CERAMICS - A REVIEW OF THE FLEXURE TEST

The uniaxial strength of engineering ceramics is often measured by the well-known flexure strength test method. There is a risk that flexure data are not representative of the properties of fabricated components. Reliability estimates for components based upon statistical extrapolation techniques from flexure data may not be valid. This paper reviews the problem and judges the usefulness of flexure data for design purposes. It is shown that some of the limitations of flexure data apply to other modes of testing, including direct tension testing.