Weld Shear Test Fixture (ASTM A497 & A185)

weld shear test fixture_0

Fig. 1: Assembled fixture without specimen installed

This test fixture is used to determine the shear strength of the welds in welded wire fabric such as used for concrete reinforcement. The two governing ASTM standards, ASTM A497 (Reference 1) and ASTM A185 (Reference 2) are very similar, and use the same test fixture.

The fixture is adjustable to accommodate wires over a range of diameters, the v-grooved rollers restraining the longitudinal wire to keep the transverse wire on top of the support platform. The top of the test fixture contains a threaded hole for attachment to the crosshead of the tensile testing machine. The bottom of the longitudinal wire is pulled until the weld fails, this failure load being reported.

Source of Additional Information:

1) ASTM Standard A497-01 (2001), “Standard Specification for Steel Welded Wire Fabric, Deformed, for Concrete Reinforcement,” American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania (first published in 1964).

 

2) ASTM Standard A185-02 (2002), “Standard Specification for Steel Welded Wire Fabric, Plain, for Concrete Reinforcement,” American Society for Testing and Materials, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania (first published in 1936).