Elastomeric adhesives and sealants can perform a variety of functions other than merely bond and seal. One of these additional functions is the damping of noise and vibration. The reduction of noise and vibration is an important and valuable consideration in many products including most transportation vehicles.
Rigid adhesives are generally used in structural applications because they have a great deal of rigidity and strength. As a result they can transfer all forces without undergoing any appreciable deformation.