Use and Care Manual

FIBERGLASS LADDER TECHNICAL MANUAL
10
1. The Cyclic Horizontal Bending test is conducted to 100,000 cycles at the rated load for
FRP composite ladder rail designs per ANSI A14.5 requirements. All FRP
rail designs
are then subjected to the Inclined Load Test requirements specified in
ANSI A14.5.
2. A wide range of tests were performed at the bottom of a utility grade FRP extension
ladder. The tests were run to demonstrate the degree of resistance to
abuse. The results were:
Spur Shield System Load Direction Load at Failure
Design with internal rail shield Outward 715#
and top rivet through the flange
Design with internal rail shield Outward 900#
with additional rivet through all
components — this rivet at midpoint
MATERIAL PROPERTIES — ELEVATED TEMPERATURE.
Web or flange specimens, as required, shall be maintained for a minimum of 1/2 hour at an ele-
vated temperature of 150°F and then tested at that temperature.
The mechanical properties of the FRP rail at 150°F shall meet the values established
in Table 1 and Table 2.
MISCELLANEOUS STRUCTURAL
TESTS ON FIBERGLASS LADDERS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (TYPICAL)
• Density (in accordance with ANSI/ASTM D792-1991) 0.065 ± 10% lb/in
• Water absorption (in accordance with ASTM D229-91) 0.75% maximum
Density may vary with composite design. These are average values based upon
the composite’s cross section.
Material Properties — Dry. The composite shall meet the mechanical properties
specified in Table 1 and Table 2.
Material Properties — Wet. Web specimens shall be immersed and maintained in boiling
distilled water for a minimum of 2 hours, removed and immersed in distilled water
maintained at room temperature, permitted to temperature stabilize, and tested wet.
The wet mechanical properties shall meet the values established in Table 1 and Table 2.
ANSI A14.5 FIBERGLASS LADDER STANDARD
(Selected Sections Abstracted from A14.5)
Periodic Coupon Tests — Minimum Composite Properties*
Testing Flange Web Web
Material Property Condition Lengthwise† Lengthwise† Crosswise‡
Flexural strength, psi 150°F 24,000 --- 6,000
Flexural modulus, 10
6
psi 150°F 1.2 --- ---
Tensile strength, psi Condition A of
ASTM D709-78* 45,000 30,000 ---
Tensile modulus, 10
6
psi Condition A of
ASTM D709-78* 2.8 2.0 ---
Comprehensive strength, psi Wet --- 21,000 ---
Comprehensive modulus,
10
6
psi Wet --- 1.5 ---
* This table is based on procedures outlined in ASTM D229-91, †Lengthwise of pultrusion direction.
Testing Rigid Sheet and Plate Materials Used for Electrical Insulation. ‡ Crosswise of pultrusion direction.
TABLE 1