Evaluation of Cyclic Fatigue as a Means of Assessing the Performance of Construction Joint Sealants: Polyurethane Sealants

Abstract

Polyurethane based high performance construction sealants were subjected to cyclical movements using manually adjusted vices until rupture of the specimens occurred. Sealant fatigue behavior was compared with the fatigue behavior of elastomers and rubbers in order to gain a more quantitative understanding of sealants subjected to fatigue testing. Furthermore, failure of these sealant specimens during cyclic fatigue testing allowed for a comparison with previously reported results obtained from tests on both silicone and polysulfide sealants. The methods described in this paper provide a basis from which to assess the long-term performance of different types of sealants.