Int. J. of Materials and Product Technology, Vol. 19, Nos. 1–2, 2003 53 Copyright © 2003 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. A rapid field test method to evaluate concrete composite adhesive bonding Piyush K. Dutta* and Ayman Mosallam † *Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Hanover, New Hampshire, 03755, USA † California State University, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA Abstract: Results of an experimental study on a method to evaluate the performance of structural adhesives to repair or upgrade concrete structures have been presented. Tests were made for extremely harsh conditions so that the proposed method can be utilized at field sites as an inspection and evaluation tool. The strength of the adhesive bond is dependent, to a large extent, on how it is cured. Bond strength is a function of the temperature and time at which it cures as well the proper surface pretreatment. Four different adhesive systems were tested by mixing and curing them over a wide range of temperatures (–34 to 49 C). The tests were performed using an innovative bond strength measuring system, which uses a steel shear nut and a torquing system. The results show a dramatic effect of time and temperature of the cure on the bond strength, and significant variation in strengths between the adhesives made by various manufacturers. Keywords: adhesives, concrete, cold, low temperature, curing, concrete repairing, composite repairing. Reference to this article should be made as follows: Dutta, P.K. and Mosallam, A. (2003) ‘A rapid field test method to evaluate concrete-composite adhesive bonding’, Int. J. of Materials and Product Technology, Vol. 19, Nos. 1–2, pp. 53–67. Biographical notes: Piyush K. Dutta is a Materials Research Engineer of the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) of the U S Army Corps of Engineers. He joined the ERDC Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in 1985 and leads the High Performance Materials Research in that laboratory. Dr. Dutta has been involved in numerous research projects, and most recently, the research deals with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite bridges, components, and structures. Dr. Dutta’s primary research thrust is the performance and durability of FRP composites in extreme environments including the cold regions applications. He has served as a member of many societies including ASME, ASCE, SAMPE, and actively contributes to composites research activities in collaboration with many universities and research laboratories both within USA and overseas. He has authored and coauthored over 200 technical papers. Ayman S. Mosallam is a professor at the California State University at Fullerton, CA. He is a full member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and serves as a Control Member on the ASCE Structural Composites and Plastic Committee (SCAP). Dr. Mosallam is the Chairman of the International Committee on Composites Engineering. He is a registered Structural Professional Engineer. He has over twenty years of experience with analysis, design, and testing of composite structures and connections. He has published over 150 technical papers, book chapters, and reports. He has written and edited five books and served as the Guest Editor of a number of journals on composite materials.