A type of non-replicable testing that renders the test part or sample useless. Automotive crash tests are destructive tests because the vehicle is destroyed beyond testing again.
Destructive testing changes the part, or even destroys it, during testing; therefore, replication is not possible. Examples include tensile, bend, impact, hardness, and fracture testing as well as stress corrosion, fatigue, and creep testing. For example, these tests evaluate the strength, ductility, and toughness of a weld and its ability to withstand certain applications or environments, but the test destroys the weld itself.
Because destructive testing renders the parts useless, it can be very expensive. In many cases, non-destructive testing methods can replace a destructive test method. Non-destructive techniques to evaluate weld include dye penetration, magnetic particle, X-radiography, Gamma-radiography, ultrasonic, eddy current, and acoustic emission.