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Abstract
This paper provides a quantitative measure of the bonding strength of structural silicone sealant applied to wood–double glazing glass joints for wood frame applications. The joint strength is assessed by tensile and shear experimental tests. The paper aims to characterize the joint behaviour through experimental tests in order to implement and validate a finite element (FE) model of the joint that can be used for whole frame characterization. The experimental tests are carried out on three wood species (Meranti, White Oak and Pine), and two different FE models of the wood–silicone–glass joint are implemented: the first basic model assumes the modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture of the silicone as provided by the manufacturer, while the second model assumes the results of the experimental tensile tests. The results of the first FE model do not fit well with the tests carried out, while the second FE model proves to be more reliable and is validated by experimental results. The results report that, when modelling wood–double glazing glass joints by FE methods, the equivalent structural sealant modulus of elasticity assigned in the model should be about 50% lower than what is declared by the manufacturer. This result can be useful when modelling whole wood frames and dimensioning sealant depth and thickness in wood–glass joint applications.