Design and Development of an Adhesive Joint Testing Apparatus for Mixed-Mode Evaluation

Abstract

The present work is dedicated to the development and design of a load jig inspired in the proposed solution by Fernlund and Spelt in order to characterize fracture of bonded joints under mixed-mode I+II loading. The jig allows for easy alteration of the mode-mixity and permits covering the full range of mixed-mode I+II combinations. A data reduction scheme based on specimen compliance, beam theory and crack equivalent concept is proposed to overcome several difficulties inherent to the test analysis. The development was based in a design methodology using numerical validation based on experimental data obtained with a Dual Loading Frame from Virginia Tech. This methodology is presented and then validated with the experimental application of the jig.