EXPERIMENTAL COMPUTATIONAL INVESTIGATION OF EPOXY RESIN BEHAVIOUR UNDER TENSILE AND TORSION LOADING

The use of epoxy resins in bonded steel constructions is gaining ground in recent years, due to their increased mechanical, chemical and physical properties that have become increasingly attractive to multiple industrial sectors. Last generation of epoxy resins provides improved adhesive strength, while maintaining their properties even under the influence of solvents and high temperatures. This work introduces tensile and torsion experiments of standardised aluminum specimens, bonded with epoxy resins, in order to examine the influence of the active bonding surface on the adhesive strength. The preparation of samples is performed under controlled temperature and humidity. Furthermore, the experimental results are simulated by Finite Element Analysis to determine the in situ equivalent stress development.