Stress Relaxation in Compression

Understanding Stress Relaxation in Compression

Overview

An essential technique for assessing the sealing force's retention during continuous deformation is stress relaxation testing in compression. This test sheds light on the behavior of the material at different temperatures, in contrast to the compression set test, which concentrates on recovery behavior following relaxation.

Techniques

Compared to the compression set test, the stress relaxation test requires a more complicated instrumentation setup and is conducted in compliance with ISO 3384 standard. This approach provides continuous examination of material behavior, but because of its complexity, it is less appropriate for evaluating final products.

Principal Benefits

• Continuous Evaluation: The test enables an in-depth knowledge of the material's performance by enabling the continuous evaluation of its behavior under varying temperature circumstances.
• Validation of Models: Stress relaxation test results may be used to validate current computation models that depict relaxation behavior, improving the prediction models' accuracy.
• Performance Demonstration: This test helps producers choose and use the best materials for certain applications by demonstrating the sealing materials' potential for performance.

In summary

The behavior of sealing materials may be better understood by stress relaxation testing under compression, which enhances sealing force retention and overall performance. This approach is a useful tool in the field of material characterisation and product development, despite its complexity, because it can validate models and show material performance.