Application of Fracture Mechanics and Acoustic Emission to the Characterization of Adhesively Bonded Joints Tested in Mode I Opening
SourceCleavage tests have been performed on double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens made from two types of galvanized steels bonded with an epoxy resin (Redux 609) after different surface treatments. During the test, acoustic emission was monitored in order to determine the microscopic initiation of the fracture. From the load-displacement curves, the fracture energy GIc is calculated according to Berry's method. Resistance curves are also described showing that for all systems there is always a noticeable resistance to fracture propagation. The analysis of the results is based on the variance analysis technique in order to determine the significance of the effect of each variable on the performance of the joint and to detect the possible interactions between the parameters.