Creep behaviour of adhesively bonded joints: A comprehensive review

Abstract

This review paper provides an exploration of various facets of creep behaviour in adhesives and adhesive joints, encompassing experimental procedures, prediction models, influential parameters and strategies to enhance resistance. The discussion extends to the interplay between fatigue and creep, emphasising recent advances over the last two decades. While avoiding redundancy with prior work on temperature and moisture degradation, the paper articulates connections between topics for a better understanding. A critical examination of load levels reveals that small variations significantly impact the creep life of adhesive joints, particularly prominent with epoxy adhesives. The adhesive type, joint geometry and substrate material are scrutinised, revealing distinct impacts on creep behaviour. The study underscores the critical role of adhesive thickness and overlap length, emphasising their relevance in determining the time to failure in bonded joints under creep conditions. Notably, the substrate material’s role is highlighted. As the review delves into unexplored dimensions, it calls for further research to bridge existing gaps and refine our understanding of tertiary creep and time until failure.