Introduction

The testing of materials has got immense important because it gives the required data, that is, mechanical and other required properties for the designing and analysis of the structures for its safe, reliable and cost effective functioning. When one uses the data derived from tests, the following questions arise:

1. What tests should be carried out to give the required data?
2. How precisely are these tests conducted and who guarantees it?
3. What does the data actually mean?
4. Are these data produced reliable?
5. Are data obtained from small test specimens meaningful when large structures are being designed?
6. What will be the effect operating environment?

These questions arise when one needs to establish the response of these materials various types of loading like tensile, compressive or shear, for short-term or long-term duration, or cyclic. Further, their behaviour in the presence of high or low temperatures or other environments which might significantly modify their behaviour is essential.         

Societies for Testing Standards

There are few societies which develops the standards related to composites. They essentially provide the information and guidance necessary to design and fabricate end items from composite materials. Their primary purpose is the standardization of engineering data development methodologies related to testing, data reduction, and data reporting of property data for current and emerging composite materials.

In the following, we briefly give the background of these societies.

a) ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials was founded in 1898 by chemists and engineers from Pennsylvania Railroad, USA. At the time of its establishment, the organization was known as the American Section of the International Association for Testing and Materials. In 2011, the society became known as ASTM International.
 ASTM members deliver the test methods, specifications, guides and practices that support industries and governments worldwide. ASTM International standards are developed in accordance with the guiding principles of the World Trade Organization for the development of international standards: coherence, consensus, development dimension, effectiveness, impartiality, openness, relevance and transparency.
The ASTM standards are also available in the volume form as The Composite Materials Handbook.
           
b) Composites Research Advisory Group (CRAG), which set about in the early 1980s to attempt to define what the best practice should be over a range of test methods. The CRAG recommendations were proposed to the British Standards Institution and subsequently had a considerable effect in the development of new international standards.
           
c) Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) was formed in 1905. In early 1900s there were a lot of automobile companies worldwide, which needed to address their common design issues, patent protection and the development of engineering standards. The development of standards for composite fabrication, testing, etc. is under progress.