THE LOSIPESCU INPLANE SHEAR TEST - VALIDATION ON AN ISOTROPIC MATERIAL

The purpose of this paper is to compare the value of the shear modulus of an isotropic material (PMMA) obtained from both tensile and losipe scu shear tests. A finite-element model is introduced to account for a nonuniform stress distribution in the losipescu coupon. A correction accounting for nonuniform strain values over the strain-gage section i s also introduced. Rigorous statistical data processing leads to an es timation of the error between the moduli obtained by the two tests. So me points relevant to the losipescu test are reviewed, particularly co ncerning the sample preparation. Provided that a careful procedure is followed, excellent agreement is achieved between the shear moduli mea sured by the two methods.