On the Areospace-Grade Adhesives Shear Strength Testing with ASTM D5656 Test as an Example

This article presents adhesive shearing test methods, focusing especially on the ASTM D5656 method. These methods will be briefly characterized and compared. The most important concerns about the D5656 method are described. With the use of ASTM D1002 and D5656 methods, the influence of adherend surface preparation on shearing properties of the bond is evaluated. Compared to sandblasting only, sandblasting followed by the FPL process (sulfochromate etching of aluminum) increased shear strength of joints by 35 % for ASTM D1002 tests and by 48% for D5656 tests. Comparing these two methods, shear strength obtained in D5656 tests is about two times higher than in D1002 tests. The cause for this phenomena is much larger adherend thickness in the D5656 method, which provides the coupons with increased stiffness. Shear modulus, calculated with 3 different calculation methods, showed differences in obtained results, which points to necessary actualization of D5656 standard.