Mechanical behaviour of vinylester adhesive joints used in laminated material for steel structures

One of the most important applications of adhesives in shipbuilding is the manufacturing of structural laminated materials. The application of these types of hybrid materials in a marine environment for extended periods of time and under adverse environmental conditions results in the accelerated degradation of the adhesive. Therefore, a specific experimental procedure is required to ensure the adequate performance of this adhesive bonded joint during its service life. In this study, an experimental method to analyse a vinylester adhesive in steel–adhesive–steel test specimens was applied (“mixed cantilever beam” specimens were used and mixed mode tests were carried out to obtain the fracture envelope). It was concluded that the energy release rate increased with the stress mode under dry conditions. In addition, the cohesive laws of vinylester showed that both the tangential stress and the strain are higher than the normal stress and strain. Finally, it was observed that adding distilled water to the adhesive joint for short periods of time improved its fracture strength.