Adhesively bonded T-joints in polyvinyl chloride windows

The main objective of this study was to assess the applicability of adhesives to connect a transom to a polyvinyl chloride window frame. A modified methacrylate adhesive was selected and tested for its mechanical properties, environmental ageing, and glass transition temperature. Adhesively bonded T-joints were manufactured and tested, and compared with the conventional screw-fastened T-joints in terms of joint strength. The initial geometry of the adhesively bonded T-joints was optimized with a finite element analysis (FEA). Finally, the various manufacturing processes (welding, screw fastening, and adhesive, bonding) were compared in economical terms, which is a critical parameter for the industry.

The joint strength results show that adhesively bonded joints perform as well or better than the conventional screw-fastened joints. The FEA indicates that further improvements are possible with little changes in the geometry. The adhesive bonding process is also attractive in economical terms.