Tensile test fixture and alignment tool for testing soft polymeric foams

A tensile test fixture for securing a polymeric foam test specimen having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a dog bone region extending between the first end and the second end, the tensile test fixture comprising:

• a first gripping member including a first support surface, a first side wall and a second side wall, the first support surface, first side wall, and the second side wall forming a first specimen end receiver that is receptive of the first end of the polymeric foam test specimen;
• and
• a second gripping member including a second support surface, a first side wall portion and a second side wall portion, the second support surface, first side wall portion, and the second side wall portion forming a second specimen end receiver that is receptive of the second end of the polymeric foam test specimen,
• wherein neither the first specimen end receiver nor the second specimen end receiver exert a compressive force on corresponding ones of the first end and the second end.