1.1 This part of ISO 527 specifies the general principles for determining the tensile properties of plastics and plastic composites under defined conditions. Several different types of test specimen are defined to suit different types of material which are detailed in subsequent parts of ISO 527. 1.2 The methods are used to investigate the tensile behaviour of the test specimens and for determining the tensile strength, tensile modulus and other aspects of the tensile stress/strain relationship under the conditions defined. 1.3 The methods are selectively suitable for use with the following materials: – rigid and semi-rigid (see 3.12 and 3.13, respectively) moulding, extrusion and cast thermoplastic materials, including filled and reinforced compounds in addition to unfilled types; rigid and semi-rigid thermoplastics sheets and films; – rigid and semi-rigid thermosetting moulding materials, including filled and reinforced compounds; rigid and semi-rigid thermosetting sheets, including laminates; – fibre-reinforced thermosets and thermoplastic composites incorporating unidirectional or non-unidirectional reinforcements, such as mat, woven fabrics, woven rovings, chopped strands, combination and hybrid reinforcement, rovings and milled fibres; sheet made from pre-impregnated materials (prepregs), – thermotropic liquid crystal polymers. The methods are not normally suitable for use with rigid cellular materials, for which ISO 1926 is used, or for sandwich structures containing cellular materials.