ISO 10354:1992

Overview

ISO 10354:1992 specifies the wedge rupture test for characterizing the durability of structural adhesive‑bonded assemblies. The method simulates, in a qualitative way, forces acting at a metal–adhesive/primer interface and can be used to assess surface preparation and the durability of bonded joints - primarily for aluminium and titanium alloys, and potentially other metals and plastics when adherend thickness and rigidity are considered.

Key topics and requirements

• Test principle: Progressive insertion of a wedge between bonded plates causes an initial crack; the crack length and any propagation after laboratory ageing are measured to evaluate durability.
• Specimen preparation: Bond two plates, cut strips (typical specimen size 150 mm × 27 mm × (3 ± 0.1) mm) and machine to 25 mm ± 0.1 mm width. Apply thin anti‑adhesive tape beyond the bond zone to control crack initiation.
• Aging: Age specimens under conditions defined in ISO 9142 (standard laboratory ageing conditions) before testing.
• Wedge and driving device: Use a chemically non‑reactive wedge (stainless steel recommended) and a device that drives the wedge at a controlled speed of 30 mm/min ± 5 mm/min without oblique movement.
• Measurements and equipment:
  • Measure adhesive layer thickness to 0.01 mm accuracy.
  • Use a binocular magnifier (x10–x40) to locate and mark crack positions.
  • Measure initial (l0) and final (lF) crack lengths; compute propagation Δl = (lF − l0).
• Sample size: Conduct the test on at least 10 specimens.
• Reporting: Report identification of adhesive/primer, adherend material, surface preparation, bonding procedure, ageing conditions, failure pattern (per ISO 10365), individual l0 and lF for each specimen, and arithmetic means. Note: inter‑laboratory precision data were not available at publication.

Practical applications

• Quality control and R&D for structural adhesives in aerospace, automotive, marine and general engineering where metal-to-metal or metal-to-polymer bonds are critical.
• Surface preparation verification to check primer and pretreatment effectiveness on aluminium and titanium assemblies.
• Comparative durability screening of adhesive formulations and bonding processes after defined laboratory ageing.

Who uses this standard

• Adhesive manufacturers and formulators
• Materials and bonding engineers
• Test laboratories and certification bodies
• Quality assurance teams in aerospace and automotive industries

Related standards

• ISO 4588 (Preparation of metal surfaces for adhesive bonding)
• ISO 9142 (Guide to selection of laboratory ageing conditions for bonded joints)
• ISO 10365 (Designation of main failure patterns for adhesive joints)

Keywords: ISO 10354, wedge rupture test, adhesives, adhesive‑bonded assemblies, durability testing, aluminium bonding, titanium bonding, surface preparation, crack propagation.