Preliminary Tests of Steel-to-steel Adhesive Joints

Steel is the basic construction material used in all industrial sectors. Mechanical joining of two steel components significantly weakens the connection zone. Adhesive joints seem to be a good alternative for the mechanical ones. The main problem here is to identify a proper bonding factor providing full utilization of joined components. This paper presents preliminary laboratory tests on the static behaviour of steel-to-steel adhesive joints. The main aim of this research is to select the most suitable methacrylate adhesive for joining high strength steel components. Three different methacrylate adhesives were used to create double-lap shear joints subjected to static tension. Experimental results, including the load-bearing capacity of joints, failure modes and the shear stress distributions within the adhesive layer are shown and discussed.