Poly Strapping: Determining Tensile Strength

Tensilestrength defined

Tensile strength is defined as the stress at which a product such as rope, wire, or strapping breaks or permanently disfigures.

There are three definitions of tensile strength:

• Yield strength - The stress at which material strain changes from elastic deformation to plastic deformation, causing it to deform permanently.
• Ultimate strength - The maximum stress a material can withstand when subjected to tension, compression or shearing. It is the maximum stress on the stress-strain curve.
• Breaking strength - The stress coordinate on the stress-strain curve at the point of rupture.

In most poly strapping applications, the tensile strength is the average Breaking Strength.

Determining the tensile strength needed for your poly strapping application.

Determining the tensile strength of the poly strapping is as easy as using the proceeding formula:

• Record the weight of your pallet.
• Divide by the number of straps that will be applied to the pallet.

For example: A pallet that has a weight of 2,000 lbs. and is being secured with four straps, your plastic strapping tensile strength, or break strength of 500 lbs. each.