Overview
ISO 3415:1986 specifies a laboratory method for determining the thickness loss of textile floor coverings after a brief, moderate static loading designed to simulate the pressure exerted by a chair leg. Applicable to textile floor coverings of uniform thickness and construction, the standard measures compression under load and recovery after load removal to quantify short-term thickness loss and resilience.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope: Test simulates short-term chair-leg pressure; not applicable to coverings with non‑uniform areas unless those areas can be tested separately. See ISO 3416 for prolonged, heavy static loading.
- Apparatus:
- Static loading machine with a circular, plane presser foot (area 300–1 000 mm²) that moves freely with negligible friction.
- Guard ring, mass 1 000 g, external diameter ≤125 mm and internal diameter = d + 40 mm (d = presser foot diameter).
- Thickness gauge readable to 0.1 mm and a straightedge for brushing pile.
- Loading and measurement parameters:
- Standard pressure for initial thickness: 2.00 ± 0.2 kPa.
- Test pressure: 220 kPa applied without shock for 2 hours.
- Measurements taken under standard pressure before loading, under 220 kPa during loading, and after load removal following 15, 30 and 60 minutes recovery.
- Specimens: at least five pieces, each 250 mm × 250 mm, conditioned in the Standard atmosphere per ISO 139.
- Calculations and reporting:
- Report initial thickness, thickness under 220 kPa, thickness after recovery intervals, and compute thickness loss and thickness loss after recovery.
- Test report to include method compliance, number of specimens, arithmetic means, and any optional operations.
Applications and users
ISO 3415 is used where short‑term compressive effects are important:
- Carpet and textile floor covering manufacturers for product development and QC.
- Independent testing laboratories performing standard-compliant compression tests.
- Specifiers, architects and procurement teams evaluating flooring resilience under localized loads (e.g., chairs, furniture).
- Warranty assessment and comparative performance testing for carpet and contract flooring.
Practical benefits include objective measurement of compression resistance, comparison between products, and data to inform material selection for commercial, office or residential applications.
Related standards
- ISO 3416 - Determination of thickness loss after prolonged, heavy static loading.
- ISO 1765 - Machine-made textile floor coverings - Determination of thickness.
- ISO 139 - Standard atmosphere for conditioning and testing textiles.
- ISO 1957 - Sampling and cutting specimens for physical tests.
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