When anticipating using adhesives in structural bonding, a common need is developing the testing protocol to demonstrate bonded system effectiveness. While pressure-sensitive tapes are used in structural joining, this discussion will focus on liquid, paste, and film adhesives in structural joints.
There are three questions to consider: What is the adhesive expected to do; what conditions will it encounter, both mechanically and environmentally; and what is the risk to the system or subsystems if performance degrades over time and exposure?