ABSTRACT

Structural adhesive bonding is often designed on tidy assumptions—clean, reactive surfaces, uniform bond-line geometry, and well-behaved load paths. Real sites refuse to be tidy. Substrates arrive aged, coated, or lightly contaminated; geometry and pressure vary; climate pushes the joint outside its comfort window. This talk offers a conceptual map that links deviations from the ideal (surface chemistry, wetting and squeeze mechanics, bond-line geometry, mixed-mode loading) to measurable indicators and predictable shifts in strength, stiffness, and durability. An “assessment ladder” ties observable cues to portable probes and local proof tests, then back to acceptance, mitigation, or redesign. Rather than chasing perfection, the framework favours defect-tolerant details and redundant load paths that preserve capacity when conditions are hot, dusty, or misaligned—equally relevant to pipelines and broader civil assets. I can tune emphasis to your slot length and preferred materials.