Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Size Effects in Polyurethane Adhesive Sealings

Abstract

In our contribution we present an extended continuum-based material model which is able to capture size effects in adhesive bonds. The model is based on the introduction of a scalar-valued structure parameter and its related postulated balance equation. On the experimental side we perform shear tests on polyurethane bonds of anodised aluminium by using diferent shear rates and different thicknesses of the bonded joints. The results of these shear tests show a thickness-dependent stiffness behaviour of the specimens. Finally the obtained experimental data are fitted with the extended material model. The introduced model parameters are identified by using an optimisation tool based on biologic evolution strategies.