This thesis presents the results of testing and modeling conducted to characterize the performance of 3M™ VHB™ structural glazing tape in both shear and tension. Creep rupture testing results provided the failure time at a given static load and temperature, and ramp-to-fail testing results provided the ultimate load resistance at a given rate of strain and temperature. Parallel testing was conducted on three structural silicone sealants to compare performance. Using the time temperature superposition principle, master curves of VHB tape storage and loss moduli in shear and tension were developed with data from a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). The thermal shift factors obtained from these constitutive tests were successfully applied to the creep rupture and ramp-to-fail data collected at 23°C, 40°C, and 60°C (73°F, 104°F, and 140°F), resulting in master curves of ramp-to-fail strength and creep rupture durability in shear and tension. A simple linear damage accumulation model was then proposed to examine the accumulation of wind damage if VHB tape is used to attach curtain wall glazing panels to building facades. The purpose of the model was to investigate the magnitude of damage resulting from the accumulation of sustained wind speeds that are less than the peak design wind speed. The model used the equation derived from tensile creep rupture testing, extrapolated into the range of stresses that would typically be generated by wind loading. This equation was applied to each individual entry in the data files of several real wind speed histories, and the fractions of life used at each entry were combined into a total percentage of life used. Although the model did not provide evidence that the established design procedure is unsafe, it suggested that the accumulation of damage from wind speeds below the peak wind speed could cause a VHB tape mode of failure that merits examination along with the more traditional peak wind speed design procedure currently recommended by the vendor. / Master of Science

The strength and durability of proton exchange membranes for use in fuel cells has received much attention recently due to the increased push for sustainable alternatives to the internal combustion engine. To be viable, these alternatives must have comparable lifetimes and power outputs to the internal combustion engines they replace. Chemical degradation was once viewed as the most common culprit of early fuel cell failure, but as membranes and catalysts improved, mechanical failure became an important factor. As a result, fundamental research on the mechanically-induced failure mechanisms of fuel cell membranes, coupled with development and processing of less expensive membranes, has become an important topic. The use of the blister test geometry, along with digital image correlation of the deformed shape, creates a self-contained analysis tool useful for measuring the biaxial strength of membranes. In this work, blister tests are used to measure biaxial stress and strain for fuel cell membranes subjected to ramped pressure loading to form stress-strain curves that indicate the onset of yielding under biaxial stress conditions. Stress-life curves are developed experimentally for Gore-Selec? series 57 members using data collected under constant pressure conditions. These results are used to predict blister failure under ramped and fatigue loadings. A newly implemented hydrocarbon membrane system is evaluated with constant-pressure-to-leak blister testing. Improved strength following an isothermal hold at 100°C (pretreatment) is shown to occur. Ramped pressure testing indicates that the material after the pretreatment is stiffer and has a higher yield stress than the material before treatment. Morphological and constitutive characterization indicated differences in the materials that are consistent with the improved performance. / Master of Science