ISO 899-1:2003 specifies a method for determining the tensile creep of plastics in the form of standard test specimens under specified conditions such as those of pretreatment, temperature and humidity.

The method is suitable for use with rigid and semi-rigid non-reinforced, filled and fibre-reinforced plastics materials (see ISO 472 for definitions) in the form of dumb-bell-shaped test specimens moulded directly or machined from sheets or moulded articles.

The method is intended to provide data for engineering-design and research and development purposes. Data for engineering-design purposes requires the use of extensometers to measure the gauge length of the specimen. Data for research or quality-control purposes may use the change in distance between the grips (nominal extension).

Tensile creep may vary significantly with differences in specimen preparation and dimensions and in the test environment. The thermal history of the test specimen can also have profound effects on its creep behaviour. Consequently, when precise comparative results are required, these factors must be carefully controlled.

If tensile-creep properties are to be used for engineering-design purposes, the plastics materials should be tested over a broad range of stresses, times and environmental conditions.