Low-Cyclic Fatigue of Adhesive Bonds

Abstract

An adhesive bonding technology is limited by a cyclic loading of an adhesive bond. The paper deals with a testing of a low-cyclic fatigue of single-lap bonds reinforced with glass beads (B159, a fraction size 90 ± 20 pm). The aim of the research is a study of a low-cyclic behaviour of structural adhesive bonds by means of a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The research will contribute to a clarification of the fatigue behaviour (low-cyclic) of structural adhesive bonds. The aim of the study was to evaluate a service life of the adhesive bond in terms of its fatigue loading at a low-cyclic shear test. Values of a pulsating loading for the low-cyclic fatigue tests were chosen from this reason for tested adhesives from static tensile test determined a reference value of a maximum force gained at a statical test according to the standard CSN EN 1465. The number of cycles was 1000 at the 30 % strength reached at the static tensile test of the adhesive itself. The cumulative effect of the shear cyclic loading after 1000 cycles showed micro- and nanocracks in the area of the adhesive. The experiment results did not confirm the assumption that repeated cyclic loading could lead to the premature failure of the adhesive bond.