Abstract
An analytical study was carried out to derive the acoustic spectral response of an attenuating bond line. A similar effort was done to relate the time-base response of an attenuating bond line to the material properties of the adhesive. In this study, resonance separation, ultrasonic amplitude ratio, and resonance depth were related to the acoustic impedance, attenuation, and sound velocity of the adhesive layer.
Experimental verification of the derived correlations was provided by systematically varying the properties of Chemlok 304, a two-part paste adhesive, by mixing the adhesive in a range of proportions. Single overlap shear specimens were made with these adhesive mixtures and the adhesive properties were measured in situ with high frequency broadband ultrasonics. The ultrasonic data were reduced to yield the sound velocity, density, and attenuation coefficients of the adhesive mixtures. The specimens were tensile-tested to determine joint strength and stiffness. The strength and stiffness of the bonded joints correlated well with the ultrasonic amplitude ratio, sound velocity, attenuation coefficient, and resonance depth.
