🏗️ Determination of compression behaviour of thermal insulating products for building applications — rectangular specimen in product thickness compressed between rigid plates at 0,1 d/min, preload (250 ± 10) Pa, compressive strength σm with deformation εm (failure or yield below 10 %), compressive stress at 10 % deformation σ10 and compressive modulus of elasticity E, conditioning at least 6 h at (23 ± 5) °C, PN-EN ISO 29469

Construction PN-EN ISO 29469

Overview

WHAT THE STANDARD COVERS. The PKN catalogue card of PN-EN ISO 29469:2023-05 (English version) gives the scope: “This document specifies the equipment and procedures for determining the compression behaviour of test specimens. It is applicable to thermal insulating products and can be used to determine the compressive stress for compressive creep tests and for applications where insulating products are subjected only to short-term loads. The method can be used for quality control purposes. It can also be used to obtain a reference value from which design values can be calculated using safety factors” (our translation from the Polish text of the card). We read the text in the sample of ISO 29469:2022 (second edition) to the end of 8.3 (page 6); we do not have Clauses 9 (accuracy), 10 (test report) or Annex A (normative — cellular glass) — we know only their titles from the table of contents. In the sample the paragraph of 5.1 on the fixed and moving plate and the ball joint appears twice.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXT OF ISO 29469:2022 (foreword, Clauses 1–8.3). The standard was prepared by ISO/TC 163/SC 1 in cooperation with CEN/TC 88 (Vienna Agreement); the second edition replaces ISO 29469:2008 after technical revision. Changes according to the foreword: 5.1 changed; conditioning and test conditions in 6.4 and 7.1 changed; 8.1.2 clarified; in Annex A changes to the method for cellular glass with capping; editorial corrections. Scope (1): apparatus and procedures for determining the compression behaviour of specimens of thermal insulating products; the stress for compressive creep tests and for short-term load applications can be determined; quality control and reference values for design values. References (2): ISO 5725-2, ISO 29768. Definitions (3): relative deformation ε — reduction in thickness related to the initial thickness d0, in %; compressive strength σm — maximum force Fm divided by the initial cross-sectional area, when the deformation at yield or failure is less than 10 %; compressive stress at 10 % deformation σ10 — force F10 divided by the cross-sectional area, for products reaching 10 % before any yield or failure; compressive modulus of elasticity E — ratio of stress to strain below the proportional limit, when the relationship is linear; Figure 1 shows four types of force–displacement curves. Principle (4): a compressive force applied at a constant displacement rate perpendicular to the major faces of a rectangular specimen; if the maximum stress occurs at a deformation below 10 %, the compressive strength with deformation is reported, and if there is no failure up to 10 % — σ10; cellular glass according to Annex A. Apparatus (5): compression testing machine with two very rigid, polished, flat and parallel plates (square or circular) with a side or diameter at least equal to the side or diagonal of the specimen, one fixed, the other moving at a constant speed, if necessary with a ball joint in the centre of one plate (axial force only); continuous displacement measurement with a maximum permissible error of ± 5 % or ± 0,1 mm (whichever is smaller); force transducer with a maximum permissible error of ± 1 %, with negligible own deformation or taken into account in the calculation; simultaneous recording of force and displacement. Specimens (6): in the original product thickness, width at least equal to the thickness; integrally moulded skins retained in use are kept; layers are not stacked; dimensions 50 × 50, 100 × 100, 150 × 150, 200 × 200 or 300 × 300 mm (range in the product standard, otherwise by agreement); dimensions according to ISO 29768 with an uncertainty up to 0,5 %; tolerance on parallelism and flatness up to 0,5 % of the side or 0,5 mm (whichever is smaller); a non-flat specimen is ground or coated with a suitable layer that does not deform significantly in the test; note: for thicknesses below 20 mm the accuracy of the result is reduced; the base of the specimen perpendicular to the direction of compression in use; number of specimens according to the product standard, and in its absence at least five or by agreement; anisotropic materials — additional sets of specimens. Conditioning (6.4): at least 6 h at (23 ± 5) °C; in case of dispute (23 ± 2) °C and (50 ± 5) % RH for the time given in the product standard; in tropical climate (27 ± 2) °C and (65 ± 5) % RH, clearly stated in the report. Test (7): at (23 ± 5) °C, in case of dispute (23 ± 2) °C and (50 ± 5) % RH, tropical (27 ± 2) °C and (65 ± 5) % RH; dimensions according to ISO 29768; specimen centred; preload (250 ± 10) Pa, and if the specimen deforms significantly under it — 50 Pa, if the product standard provides for this (d0 measured at the same preload); displacement rate 0,1 d/min (± 25 %), d — thickness in mm; up to yield or up to 10 % deformation; recording of the force–displacement diagram. Results (8): mean values of the measurements, three significant figures; results should not be extrapolated to other thicknesses; σm [kPa] = 10³ · Fm / A0 (Fm in N, A0 in mm²); zero-deformation point — extension of the steepest straight-line portion of the curve to the displacement axis, and if there is none or the result is negative — the deformation at (250 ± 10) Pa; εm [%] = Xm / d0 · 100; σ10 [kPa] = 10³ · F10 / A0 (can also be calculated for deformations below 10 %); E [kPa] = σe · d0 / Xe, where σe = 10³ · Fe / A0, and Fe is the force at the end of the conventional elastic zone — the modulus is not determined when the curve has no straight-line portion or the zero point is negative — here the sample ends.

STATUS (PKN catalogue cards as of 02.10.2026). The card of PN-EN ISO 29469:2023-05 (English version, published 10-05-2023, 22 pages, price group L) has no “Withdrawn” heading: Building and Building Structures Sector, KT 211 Thermal Insulation Products for Buildings, ICS 91.100.60, “Introduces: EN ISO 29469:2022 [IDT], ISO 29469:2022 [IDT]”, “Replaces: PN-EN 826:2013-07 – English version”. The PKN search for “PN-EN ISO 29469” (02.10.2026) returns only this edition. EVS card ISO 29469:2022: “Valid from 21.10.2022”.

HOW MANY LABORATORIES AND IN WHAT FORM (copy of the accreditation scope database, data up to 17.09.2026, read 02.10.2026). The number 29469 appears in 10 records at 6 laboratories: AB 008, AB 011, AB 023, AB 054, AB 414, AB 1903. In the current scopes on the PCA website (read 02.10.2026, issues from 16.07.2025 to 25.06.2026) the edition with year “PN-EN ISO 29469:2023-05” is given by AB 1903 and — in one of two lines — AB 414; the number alone without year — by AB 011 (with “N”), AB 023, AB 054, AB 008 and the second line of AB 414; AB 008 and AB 054 also give the replaced PN-EN 826 with the mark “N” in the same item; AB 023 has the notation “PN-EN 29469” (without “ISO”) for plastic products, and its current scope has four lines with this number, including “compression behaviour” with “N” (5–50 000 N), which is not in the database copy. According to the legend of the PCA documents, “N” is a test method used in activities relevant to notification under Regulation (EU) No 305/2011. In the scope of AB 054 (issue No 29 of 25.06.2026) the part of the scope marked in bold italics was suspended at the request of the body — the line with PN-EN ISO 29469 is not marked so. The “Laboratories” tab (“PN-EN ISO 29469”) shows 5 laboratories (AB 011, AB 023, AB 054, AB 414, AB 1903) — checked with the tab query on the production server labcoda.pl on 02.10.2026; AB 008 does not appear in it, because in the database its entry begins with “PN-EN 826”.

WHAT THE LABORATORIES TEST (PCA entries). AB 008 — thermal insulating products for buildings and for building equipment and industrial installations: compressive strength (2–50 000) N, compressive stress, relative deformation, modulus of elasticity. AB 011 — thermal insulating products for buildings: compression behaviour. AB 023 — sandwich panels: modulus of elasticity, compressive strength or stress at 10 % deformation, (20–50 000) N (next to PN-EN 14509); plastic products: compression properties (20–50 000) N; thermal insulating products for buildings and installations (among others EPS, XPS, PUR/PIR, MW): compression behaviour (5–50 000) N with “N”. AB 054 — thermal insulating materials: compressive strength, (0,025–10) kN. AB 414 — fibrous products and cellular plastics: compressive strength, compressive stress, machine up to 10 kN. AB 1903 — sandwich panels: compressive strength, stress at 10 % deformation, compression test perpendicular to the faces, force up to 300 kN (next to PN-EN 14509:2013-12).

WHERE A SEEMINGLY CORRECT RESULT IS EASY TO GET. Type of result: σm is reported only when failure or yield occurs at a deformation below 10 %; otherwise the result is σ10 (3, 4). Zero point: it is determined from the steepest straight-line portion of the curve, and if there is none or the result is negative — at (250 ± 10) Pa; the modulus E is then not calculated (8.1.2, 8.3). Preload: 50 Pa instead of 250 Pa only if the product standard provides for it, and d0 is measured at the same preload (7.2). Speed: 0,1 d/min with a tolerance of ± 25 % — it depends on the specimen thickness (7.2). Specimen: product thickness without stacking layers, flatness and parallelism up to 0,5 %; for thicknesses below 20 mm the accuracy is reduced, and results should not be transferred to other thicknesses (6.1, 8). Conditions: in case of dispute (23 ± 2) °C and (50 ± 5) % RH, tropical climate has to be clearly stated in the report (6.4, 7.1). Edition: two laboratories give the replaced PN-EN 826 next to PN-EN ISO 29469 without year, and AB 023 the notation “PN-EN 29469”.

WHAT WE DO NOT STATE. We do not have Clauses 9–10 or Annex A: accuracy data (repeatability and reproducibility), report requirements or the changes to the method for cellular glass — so we do not state these numbers. We do not state the required values of σ10 or σm for products — they follow from product standards.

Method principle

A rectangular specimen of the insulating product in its original thickness, after conditioning, is compressed between two rigid parallel plates at a constant displacement rate of 0,1 d/min after a preload of 250 Pa, recording the force–displacement curve; from it the compressive strength σm and deformation εm (failure or yield below 10 %) or the compressive stress at 10 % deformation σ10 are determined, and from the straight-line portion the modulus of elasticity E.

Applications

• Thermal insulating products for buildings and installations — compressive strength, σ10, modulus; 6 laboratories in PCA scopes, some with the mark “N” (notification under Regulation 305/2011)
• Sandwich panels — compression perpendicular to the faces, next to PN-EN 14509 (AB 023, AB 1903)
• Quality control and reference values for calculating design values and for compressive creep tests (1)

Key parameters

Standard

Standard number

PN-EN ISO 29469:2023-05 (wersja angielska; EN ISO 29469:2022 i ISO 29469:2022 IDT)

Title (PL)

Wyroby do izolacji cieplnej w budownictwie — Określanie zachowania przy ściskaniu

Title (EN)

Thermal insulating products for building applications — Determination of compression behaviour

Step-by-step procedure

1. Specimens

   In product thickness, dimensions 50–300 mm according to the product standard, flatness and parallelism up to 0,5 %; at least five; dimensions according to ISO 29768 (6). PN-EN ISO 29469:2023-05 current (PKN cards as of 02.10.2026).

2. Conditioning

   At least 6 h at (23 ± 5) °C; in case of dispute (23 ± 2) °C and (50 ± 5) % RH (6.4).

3. Compression

   Specimen centred between the plates, preload (250 ± 10) Pa, speed 0,1 d/min to yield or 10 % deformation; recording of the force–displacement curve (7.2).

4. Zero point

   Extension of the steepest straight-line portion to the displacement axis; if there is none or the result is negative — deformation at 250 Pa (8.1.2).

5. Calculations

   σm = 10³ · Fm / A0, εm = Xm / d0 · 100, σ10 = 10³ · F10 / A0, E = σe · d0 / Xe; mean values, three significant figures, no extrapolation to other thicknesses (8).

Required equipment and apparatus

Health and safety (OHS)

• In the part we read (Clauses 1–8.3) the standard gives no safety requirements

Frequently asked questions