to enable primary structures to be adhesively bonded in future aerospace hardware structural response prediction procedures must be improved upon. one task in accomplishing this overall objective is a requirement that a set of standardized adhesive test specifications be formulated. it was the objective of this 'structural properties of adhesives' program to develop low cost adhesive test procedures required to generate the required rigorous engineering structural property data. the desired engineering structural properties were specified as was their accuracy requirements. optimum adhesive test specimens were designed as was a new adhesive deformation measurement system; a parallel plate capacitor. an extensive review of the literature on adhesive testing enabled the formulation of astm type adhesive test specifications for static, viscoelastic, and fatigue characterization of adhesives. a fabrication specification was also formulated. selected test data were generated to verify that the test procedures were easy to perform and repeatable. additional improvements in the butt joint test procedure were recommended (author)