Engineering design of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite components requires reliable methods for measuring out-of-plane mechanical properties in the through-thickness (T-T) material direction. Within this work, existing indirect and direct test methods and geometries for measuring T-T tensile properties have been evaluated through experimental testing and finite element analysis (FEA). Experimental testing showed variations, particularly in failure properties, for both indirect (failure strengths from 10–94 MPa) and direct (failure strengths from 48–62 MPa) geometries. Results were shown to be in good agreement with FEA, which also confirmed stress concentration factors. A linear relationship between the magnitude of stress concentration factors and experimentally determined T-T tensile failure strengths was observed for all but one of the direct geometries evaluated. Improved knowledge of stress concentration factors from this work should help instil confidence for industry to use T-T tensile properties determined from these methods.
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