Patent ID: 8342017

Claim:
A method for repeatably fabricating a test specimen assembly having controlled variable bond strengths, comprising the following steps: (a) fabricating a first fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen having a bonding surface, wherein a first area of said bonding surface of said first fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen has a first bonded joint performance-governing characteristic, while a second area of said bonding surface, not overlapping with said first area, of said first fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen has a second bonded joint performance-governing characteristic different than said first bonded joint performance-governing characteristic; (b) fabricating a second fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen having a bonding surface; (c) placing said bonding surface of said first fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen in overlapping relationship with said bonding surface of said second fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen with adhesive therebetween, the adhesive being in contact with said first and second areas of said bonding surface of said first fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen and with said bonding surface of said second fiber-reinforced plastic test specimen; and (d) curing the adhesive to bond said first and second fiber-reinforced plastic test specimens together.