Application Studies / Porcelain and Ceramic Tile - Four Point Bend

Porcelain and Ceramic Tile - Four Point Bend

Industry:

Materials

Attributes measured:

firmness

stiffness

hardness

flexural strength

brittleness

total work

Background

Tile is a common flooring and siding material used in kitchens, bathrooms and other living spaces. The importance of hardness and brittleness of tile depends on its application. Tile used for kitchen floors needs to be strong enough to withstand a dropped pot but not too hard that it is difficult to cut and install. The hardness of backsplash tile is less important because it is unlikely that it will be subject to any significant forces. However, all tile needs to be hard enough to survive shipping and handling. This study uses the Stable Micro Systems TA.HDPlus Texture Analyzer and Exponent software to determine the breaking strength of porcelain and ceramic tiles using a four point bend rig. The tiles were successfully differentiated across six metrics.