Investigations to Determine and Evaluate Damage Processes of Adhesive Bonds by Means of Acoustic Emission

The damage process in metal adhesive bonds under quasistatic loads was monitored by means of acoustic emission analysis (AEA). Metallographic investigations allow the correlation between acoustic emission data and microscopic failure processes in the bondline of single lap adhesive joints. The influence of specimen geometry on the intiation of damages is discussed for several types of adhesives. Furthurmore the relation between the preparation of the adherent surface and the onset of acoustic emission is as well described as the influence of manufacturing defects on the mechanical behaviour and the acoustic emission activity. 21 ref.--AA