Adhesive bonding in steel construction - challenge and innovation

Abstract

Despite much advancement of typical joining techniques in steel construction, fundamental problems, like residual stresses for welds as well as weakening of the cross section for bolts and screws, still remain. The application of bonded joints could improve the situation. The automotive industry shows the potential of this certain joining technique since years. Even in civil engineering and especially in steel construction, researchers are continuously establishing the bonding technology as a structural element. On the one hand bonded joints mean a challenge, but on the other hand an innovation, what is shown in this paper.