A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, in computer memory, a first test data set that comprises results of a real-world test of a material, wherein the first test data set comprises a plurality of test data points; identifying one or more critical points among the test data points in the first test data set, wherein identifying one or more critical points among the test data points in the first test data set comprises: identifying a data point in the first test data set for which an immediately preceding data point and an immediately following data point are both greater than or both less than the data point, or identifying a data point in the first test data set for which one of an immediately preceding data point or an immediately following data point is equal and the other of the immediately preceding data point or the immediately following data point is not equal; and processing the first test data set with a computer processor to produce a second test data set with differing test data points than the first test data set, wherein the second test data set includes all the test data points that were identified as critical points in the first test data set and at least some other data points. receiving, in computer memory, a first test data set that comprises results of a real-world test of a material, wherein the first test data set comprises a plurality of test data points; identifying one or more critical points among the test data points in the first test data set, wherein identifying one or more critical points among the test data points in the first test data set comprises: identifying a data point in the first test data set for which an immediately preceding data point and an immediately following data point are both greater than or both less than the data point, or identifying a data point in the first test data set for which one of an immediately preceding data point or an immediately following data point is equal and the other of the immediately preceding data point or the immediately following data point is not equal; and processing the first test data set with a computer processor to produce a second test data set with differing test data points than the first test data set, wherein the second test data set includes all the test data points that were identified as critical points in the first test data set and at least some other data points. identifying a data point in the first test data set for which an immediately preceding data point and an immediately following data point are both greater than or both less than the data point, or identifying a data point in the first test data set for which one of an immediately preceding data point or an immediately following data point is equal and the other of the immediately preceding data point or the immediately following data point is not equal; and processing the first test data set with a computer processor to produce a second test data set with differing test data points than the first test data set, wherein the second test data set includes all the test data points that were identified as critical points in the first test data set and at least some other data points.