Modeling Concepts for Studying Ultrasonic Wave Interaction with Adhesive Bonds

Abstract Recent research has shown that such adhesive bondline defects as chemical segregation, variation in cure, gas entrapment or inadequate surface preparation are responsible for many adhesively bonded structural failures. Analytical models have been developed in this work that can be used to relate these “flaws” to the manner in which they affect the reflection of an ultrasonic pulse from such a bondline. The results of this study provide a substantial resource base for extended research through which ultrasonic inspection can become a reliable NDT technique for bond strength determination.