SIST EN ISO 19956:2005

Footwear - Test methods for heels - Fatigue resistance (ISO 19956:2004)

ISO 19956:2004 specifies a test method for determining the ability of heels of ladies' shoes to withstand the repeated small impacts imposed by normal walking. Although intended primarily for plastic heels, the procedure is also usable for testing steel heel dowels on their own.
While the test method is applicable to all types of high heels of any construction, it is particularly useful for injection-moulded plastic heels that incorporate a steel dowel reinforcement.

Schuhe - Prüfverfahren für Absätze - Ermüdungswiderstand (ISO 19956:2004)

Chaussures - Méthodes d'essai relatives aux talons - Résistance a la fatigue (ISO 19956:2004)

L'ISO 19956 spécifie une méthode d'essai pour déterminer l'aptitude des talons de chaussures pour femmes à supporter les petits chocs répétés imposés par la marche normale. Bien que destinée en premier lieu aux talons en plastique, le mode opératoire est également utilisable pour l'essai des goupilles de talon en acier.
La méthode d'essai est applicable à tous les types de talons hauts, quelle que soit leur construction, mais elle est particulièrement utile pour les talons en plastique moulés par injection, qui incorporent une goupille de renfort en acier.

Obutev – Preskusne metode za pete – Odpornost proti utrujanju (ISO 19956:2004)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 28-Feb-2005
• ICS: 61.060 - Footwear
• Technical Committee: SS SPL - Technical Board for the general field
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 01-Mar-2005
• Due Date: 01-Mar-2005
• Completion Date: 01-Mar-2005
• Ref Project: EN ISO 19956:2004 - Footwear - Test methods for heels - Fatigue resistance (ISO 19956:2004)

Overview

SIST EN ISO 19956:2005 defines a standardized test method for evaluating the fatigue resistance of heels on ladies' shoes. Developed by CEN in collaboration with ISO Technical Committees focused on footwear, this method measures the ability of shoe heels-primarily plastic heels and reinforced steel heel dowels-to endure repeated small impacts simulating normal walking conditions. While applicable to all high heel constructions, the test is particularly relevant for injection-moulded plastic heels with steel dowel reinforcement, ensuring their durability under real-world use.

This fatigue resistance test is essential for footwear manufacturers aiming to guarantee product quality, safety, and customer satisfaction by assessing heel strength and longevity under repetitive loading.

Key Topics

• Fatigue Resistance Definition: Resistance of a heel to repeated loading cycles under specified conditions.
• Test Apparatus:
  • Motor-driven pendulum delivering blows of 0.68 joules energy at a frequency of 1 blow per second.
  • Pendulum equipped with a steel bob and striker head designed to apply consistent impacts.
  • Rebound damper, base clamps, counters, and safety cut-out devices to ensure precise and safe testing.
• Specimen Preparation:
  • Heels are mounted in metal trays using a low melting point alloy to secure them rigidly during testing.
  • Samples conditioned properly to replicate realistic conditions.
• Testing Procedure:
  • Heels are repeatedly struck below the tip by the pendulum.
  • Testing continues until visible damage, complete failure, or a maximum of 20,000 blows.
  • Damage such as cracking directly caused by the striker acting like a chisel is noted but considered invalid for fatigue resistance assessment.
• Result Expression:
  • Number of blows at initial damage.
  • Number of blows at complete failure.
  • Indication if no failure occurs within 20,000 blows.
  • Descriptions of damage types observed.
• Test Reporting:
  • Detailed documentation including sample descriptions, test results, damage observations, date, and any deviations from the standard procedure.

Applications

• Footwear Quality Control: Manufacturers use this standard to rigorously test heel durability, ensuring products meet required fatigue resistance before market release.
• Design and Material Innovation: Useful in assessing new materials or heel designs, especially plastic heels with steel reinforcements.
• Safety Certification: Supporting product certifications and compliance requirements by providing consistent, reproducible heel fatigue testing results.
• Consumer Confidence Building: Demonstrates commitment to durability and safety in ladies’ high heel footwear.
• Damage Diagnosis: Differentiates between typical fatigue failures and damage caused by inappropriate impacts, improving understanding of failure modes.

Related Standards

• ISO/TC 216 - Footwear Standards: Broader set of footwear testing methods and quality measures.
• Material Testing Standards for Plastics and Metals: Complementary standards that assess constituent materials used in heel manufacturing.
• General Fatigue Testing Standards: Standards applicable to mechanical fatigue testing in other fields, useful for cross-disciplinary benchmarking.
• Safety and Ergonomics of Footwear: Standards focusing on wearer safety and comfort, where heel durability is a critical component.

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By implementing SIST EN ISO 19956:2005, footwear manufacturers and testing laboratories can reliably assess heel fatigue resistance, ensuring ladies’ shoes are robust enough to withstand everyday wear while maintaining safety and quality standards. This test is integral to the footwear industry’s continuous improvement efforts in heel design and durability.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-marec-2005
Obutev – Preskusne metode za pete – Odpornost proti utrujanju (ISO 19956:2004)
Footwear - Test methods for heels - Fatigue resistance (ISO 19956:2004)
Schuhe - Prüfverfahren für Absätze - Ermüdungswiderstand (ISO 19956:2004)
Chaussures - Méthodes d'essai relatives aux talons - Résistance a la fatigue (ISO
19956:2004)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 19956:2004
ICS:
61.060 Obuvala Footwear
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN ISO 19956
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
September 2004
ICS 61.060
English version
Footwear - Test methods for heels - Fatigue resistance (ISO
19956:2004)
Chaussures - Méthodes d'essai relatives aux talons - Schuhe - Prüfverfahren für Absätze -
Résistance à la fatigue (ISO 19956:2004) Ermüdungswiderstand (ISO 19956:2004)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 2 March 2004.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the Central Secretariat or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official
versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: rue de Stassart, 36  B-1050 Brussels
© 2004 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 19956:2004: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents               page
Foreword.3
1 Scope .4
2 Terms and definitions .4
3 Apparatus and material.4
4 Sampling and conditioning.6
5 Test method.6
6 Expression of results .7
7 Test report .7

Foreword
This document (EN ISO 19956:2004) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN /TC 309 "Footwear", the
secretariat of which is held by AENOR, in collaboration with Technical Committee ISO/TC 216 "Footwear".
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or
by endorsement, at the latest by March 2005, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by
March 2005.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
1 Scope
This European Standard specifies a test method for determining the ability of heels of ladies’ shoes to withstand the
repeated small impacts imposed by normal walking. Although intended primarily for plastics heels, the procedure is
also usable for testing steel heel dowels on their own.

NOTE While the test method is applicable to all types of high heels of any construction, it is particularly useful for injection-
moulded plastics heels which incorporate a steel dowel reinforcement. The shape of some heels is such that they have a high
fatigue resistance. It is usually considered unnecessary to test such heels for fatigue resistance.
2 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this European Standard, the following term and definition apply.
fatigue resistance
resistance of a heel, under specified conditions, to repeated loading cycles.
3 Apparatus and material
3.1 The following apparatus and material shall be used:
3.2 Heel fatigue-testing apparatus, incorporating a motor-driven pendulum which can deliver blows to a test
specimen assembly, each blow having an energy of 0,68 J, at th
...