An Evaluation of Acrylic Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes for Bonding Wood in Building Construction Applications

Wood connections made with high-performance pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes have significant promise for mitigating damage in buildings under high wind or seismic conditions. Benefits may include improved joint ductility and sealing protection from water-intrusion damage from hurricanes. In this work a series of connection tests were performed primarily on acrylic PSA tapes in accordance with ASTM D 1761-88 (2000). Performance results for PSA tape/wood joints are presented and trends examined for comparisons of commercial PSA tapes from three manufacturers. The results also provided implementation data on required application pressure levels and time duration, and comparisons with adhesive connection types. Specific parameters were discussed and examined using statistical methods to quantitatively determine performance gains or losses. The variables investigated included the use of oriented strand board (OSB) versus plywood sheathing, the effect of priming and surface sanding on adhesion, and a comparison of connections involving mechanical fasteners with those that utilized only adhesive tape or a combination of the two. Properly bonded OSB and plywood connections provided fairly ductile failure modes. The overall results of the study suggest that the International Building Code (IBC) ban on construction adhesives for shear walls in high seismic zones could be lifted for high-performance acrylic PSA tapes. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2012