An Experimental Technique for the Characterization of Adhesive Joints under Dynamic Multiaxial Loadings

This paper deals with experimental testing of adhesive joints, whose characterization under static loadings drove a large number of studies and techniques. However, few studies deal with dynamic loadings and most of them are limited to the characterization of the shear strength of the bonded assembly. Indeed, dynamic tests often rely on single or double-lap joint specimens that do not enable to investigate multiaxial loadings. This paper is dedicated to the development of an innovative experimental technique for the characterization of adhesive joints under dynamic multiaxial loadings. The experimental apparatus consists in a conventional Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB), a newly designed specimen named DODECA and local measurements performed by Digital Image Correlation (DIC). The specimen conception and sizing are detailed with numerical computations as well as preparation procedures. One of the advantages of the proposed specimen is the possibility of testing three distinct multiaxial loadings with the same methodology. This new technique enables to measure strains in adhesive joints accurately with a dynamic loading.