Standard test methods and their need to evolve

Adhesive bonding technologies are continually changing to support advances in joint design and to meet the needs of advanced manufacturing for an expanding number of applications. Adhesive strength and toughness are important for high-performing bonds, but traditionally strong adhesives have not been tough. Newer adhesives have increased toughness along with improvements in processing, robustness, and durability. This has opened up structural adhesive bonding to more demanding applications. Complex joint designs or renewable, reusable adhesives are more important to the aerospace, automotive, energy, and infrastructure sectors. Introducing novel materials, manufacturing methods, or installation methods into joint designs is a challenge as the risks from failure can be significant. Stakeholders require a common framework to trust the performance claims of any new adhesive or joining technology. Standard test methods serve as the gatekeepers of trust, so a recurring challenge is to maintain pace with technological advances. As engineers and material scientists, it is important to understand the limitations of current test methods and consider how standards may need to evolve with advancing changes in technology. The goals of this chapter are to provide a brief overview of the stakeholders and process involved in the curation of standard measurements and test methods. A series of case studies is provided to illustrate the interplay among standards, adhesive performance, and supporting new technologies. The reader should gain an appreciation for the evolving roles between the technical understanding of adhesive performance, provided in the following chapters, and the standards process.