Abstract

In this study, the initial quality of robotic tile installation under various construction parameters and material properties of adhesive were investigated based on the fluid–structure coupling construction models for the first time. First, the models of adhesive application and tile leveling were developed based on the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian approach. Then, on the basis of these models, various patterns of adhesive application, types of tile leveling loads, numbers of adhesive strips and yield stresses of adhesive were simulated and their influence laws on the initial quality of robotic tile installation were analyzed. Finally, the influence mechanisms of these parameters on the installation quality were revealed in terms of the spacing between adhesive strips, tile rebounding, contact areas and defect distribution. Results showed that the adhesive with horizontal application possessed smaller plastic deformation, kept stable shape of strips and distributed at equal spacing, compared with the one with vertical application. In contrast to a single compression load, its couplings with vibration loads were beneficial to the reduction of tile rebounding. Among the coupling loads, the coupling of shear vibration with compression considerably increased the tile–adhesive contact area until no interfacial defect appeared. The increase of the number of adhesive strips exerts few effects on the installation quality, including slight increases of contact areas as well as diminished interfacial defects. In the case of relatively low and high yield stresses of adhesive, the shear vibration effects were respectively large and small which decrease the installation quality.