A method for determining mechanical properties of a material includes positioning a probe tip of selected material properties having a selected geometry and a selected accelerating mass at a selected position and a selected height above a sample of the material. The probe tip is released to accelerate toward the sample. A first parameter related to force on the probe tip with respect to time is recorded. The releasing the probe tip is repeated with at least one of a different selected probe tip material, a different tip geometry, a different height and a different accelerating mass to record a second parameter related to force. The first and second parameters are used to determine at least one of an elastic property and a strength of the material.

A method for setting polymerization condition includes a physical property acquiring step of, when heating a composition including a polymerization-reactive compound and a polymerization catalyst and/or a polymerization initiator and retaining heat at a predetermined temperature, acquiring a physical property value a derived from a functional group before heating of the polymerization-reactive compound and a physical property value b derived from a remaining functional group after maintaining a temperature for a predetermined time; a remaining functional group ratio calculating step of calculating a remaining functional group ratio from the physical property value a and the physical property value b; a reaction rate coefficient calculating step of calculating a reaction rate coefficient from the remaining functional group ratio on the basis of a reaction rate equation; and a polymerization temperature calculating step of calculating a polymerization temperature on the basis of the reaction rate coefficient and conditions below.

A method for setting polymerization condition includes a physical property acquiring step of, when heating a composition including a polymerization-reactive compound and a polymerization catalyst and/or a polymerization initiator and retaining heat at a predetermined temperature, acquiring a physical property value a derived from a functional group before heating of the polymerization-reactive compound and a physical property value b derived from a remaining functional group after maintaining a temperature for a predetermined time; a remaining functional group ratio calculating step of calculating a remaining functional group ratio from the physical property value a and the physical property value b; a reaction rate coefficient calculating step of calculating a reaction rate coefficient from the remaining functional group ratio on the basis of a reaction rate equation; and a polymerization temperature calculating step of calculating a polymerization temperature on the basis of the reaction rate coefficient and conditions below.

A method for evaluating the thermoplasticity of a coal or a caking additive with an apparatus including a container for coal and a stirrer located in the container. The method includes estimating a permeation distance of the coal or caking additive from a value indicating a shape of semicoke formed by rotating the stirrer while heating the coal or caking additive and from a correlation between the value indicating the shape of the semicoke and the permeation distance of the coal or caking additive.

A method for evaluating the thermoplasticity of a coal or a caking additive with an apparatus including a container for coal and a stirrer located in the container. The method includes estimating a permeation distance of the coal or caking additive from a value indicating a shape of semicoke formed by rotating the stirrer while heating the coal or caking additive and from a correlation between the value indicating the shape of the semicoke and the permeation distance of the coal or caking additive.