High-Strain-Rate Testing of Adhesive Specimens and Joints by Hopkinson Bar technique

Dynamic tests are a convenient method for determining the elastic constants of a solid such as an adhesive. Despite the viscoelastic nature of polymeric adhesives, the adhesive properties below the glass-transition temperature of the adhesive are not significantly strain rate dependent and, therefore, the measurement of the modulus in vibration is a good estimate of the adhesive static modulus. This method is nondestructive and gives very reliable results. Techniques for measuring the Young’s modulus E and the shear modulus G are given. Bulk specimens or joints (in which the adhesive is used as a thin film) can be used.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen