Effects of Cyclic Ageing Frequencies on the Ageing and Mechanical Behaviour of Adhesive Materials: Experimental Analysis and Numerical Study

Abstract

In marine structures adhesive joint structures are often exposed to cyclic conditioning where the ambient humidity changes cyclically during their service. Though some comprehensive studies on the aging of adhesives exist, these researches mainly focus on monotonic aging conditions where the adhesive joints are exposed to a wet condition continuously for a long time. However, the few investigations performed on the cyclic moisture absorption of adhesive materials show that the parameters obtained in monotonic aging conditions are not suitable for estimation of the aging behaviour of adhesive exposed to alternating humidity. An important question that can arise is whether or not this frequency affects the mechanical behaviour of adhesive joints under cyclic aging condition. In this investigation bulk dogbone and square samples were manufactured, subjected to cyclic aging conditions with four different aging frequencies and tested. The results show that the moisture diffusion constant of adhesives exposed to higher aging frequencies increase more than those exposed to lower aging frequency conditions. In addition, the moisture content only affects the degradation of strength and stiffness of the tested adhesives in different aging frequencies.

Sofia Teixeira de Freitas

Principal Investigator

Sofia Teixeira de Freitas researches the structural integrity of bonded and layered materials to enable durable, sustainable structures. She is also an accredited group facilitator, committed to building academic environments grounded in cooperation and inclusion—key to overcoming technological limits and addressing the challenges of a truly sustainable society.