STRUCTURAL ADHESIVE-BONDED JOINTS IN ENGINEERING - DRAFTING DESIGN RULES

This paper introduces methods to draw up design rules to calculate the resistance of adhesive bonded joints for structural applications. In the past, design rules were based on allowable stresses, while the cur rent rules verify limit states. Best known is the partial safety facto r approach. This method enables to distinguish different reliability l evels by using load and material factors. These factors take into acco unt the stochastic nature of both load actions and resistance of a str ucture. In case of adhesive bonded joints also the durability effects have to be considered. To calibrate the partial safety factors both en gineering judgement and probabilistic techniques can be used. Since th e experience with design rules for structural adhesive bonded joints i s limited, the use of probabilistic techniques seems to be a promising opportunity to draft design rules. To do this it is necessary to have a proper description of the nature of adhesive bonded joints. Special attention should be paid to the statistical distribution of the resis tance and the effects of durability. An example of drafting a design r ule illustrates the current possibilities. To conclude this paper guid elines are formulated how to draw up design rules. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience Ltd. All rights reserved.