EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATION OF AN INITIATION CRITERION FOR FATIGUE CRACKING IN ADHESIVE BONDS
Christopher J. Carrier, D. A. Dillard, D. Lefebvre
National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center:
High Performance Polymeric Adhesives and Composites, and
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics
Virginia Polytechnical and State University
Blacksburg, Virginia
Abstract
Adhesive joint fatigue life was examined with respect to two stress singularity parameters derived from the specimen geometry and applied load. By varying these parameters it may be possible to generate a fatigue failure criterion that could be used to predict fatigue life without extensive prototype testing. Preliminary points on this theoretical graph were obtained by mechanically cycling adhesively bonded wedge samples. These specimens consisted of an epoxy wedge bonded to an aluminum substrate. A fatigue testing fixture was constructed to analyze these specimens.