Diverse methods have been tried to study crack length, most basic relying on direct, or microscopic, observation of the crack tip position. Optical correlation, both lasermoiré and speckle interferometry, a single strain gauge and displacement sensorshave also been employed. Crack length measurement is, however, delicate. We present a novel method making use of strain gauges attached to one of the adherends.

The wedge test (sometimes called the Boeing wedge test) is amongst the most readily exploitable techniques for assessment of the rate-dependent fracture energy of adhesive materials when used to bond relatively rigid substrates. With its siblings: the double cantilever beam (DCB), and the tapered double cantilever beam (TDCB), a force is applied, essentially in cleavage, to provoke substrate separation perpendicularly to the bondline...

The effects of variability of intrinsic adhesion within a joint have been studied using a single cantilever beam (SCB) test. Fracture energy was found not to be a simple function of relative areas of 2 surface pre-treatments: a 'weak' zone decreased strength more than expected from simple, additive considerations. By severing the adhesive along the strong-weak transition, fracture energy increased.The prior antagonist effect appears...

Divers essais peuvent etre employes afin d'evaluer la resistance a la fracture des joints adhesifes. Generalement, ces essais sont symetriques: les substrats sont identiques. Nous avons utilise une version asymetrique, ou un adherend flexible est colle a aderend rigide. Nous discutons ici du comportement d'un joint d'adhesion variable. Des resultats assez surprenants font le sujet prinicpal de cet article.

This article describes recent refinement of the traditional wedge test technique used to characterize durability of the adhesive joints. We propose two types of measuring protocols to monitor precisely and continuously the propagation of an "effective" crack during long term mode I fracture mechanic test. First method is directly derived from the traditional wedge test technique and consist in monitoring the surface strain of adherent...