Structural adhesives
Due to their high modulus, structural adhesives permit a high degree of rigidity and a great degree of stability in joints.
In order to obtain the maximum benefit from this advantage, this type of adhesive is normally applied very thinly. In comparison with other joining methods, adhesion allows the load to be distributed over the surface, without reducing the stability of the materials being bonded.
Due to the high modulus, it is important that the adhesive does not become brittle, as otherwise it will no longer be capable of absorbing impact stress.
When dimensioning structural adhesives, particular attention must be paid to the distribution of stresses in the adhesive, as materials with a high modulus can only attenuate peaks of stress to a limited extent in areas of high stress concentration. The maximum local tensions should not affect the stability of the adhesive bond, taking into account reduction for aging through changing loads, chemical and physical factors, and the safety factor.