Comparison of different adhesively-bonded joint configurations for mechanical structures

Abstract

Adhesively-bonded joints are widely used to join structural components. The most common joint configurations are single-lap joints (SLJ), double-lap joints (DLJ), stepped joints and scarf joints. One of the most important parameters that affects the joint strength is the overlap length (LO). The main objectives of this work are to carry out a comparative study involving several joint geometries using various adhesives with different characteristics and to check which type of adhesive is most suitable for a particular joint geometry. For this purpose, SLJ, DLJ, stepped joints and scarf joints were chosen for testing with three adhesives. The experimental results are compared with numerical results obtained using Abaqus® software using an integrated cohesive zone modelling (CZM) module. With this work, it was concluded that the optimal joint configuration depends significantly on the type of adhesive being used, such that less resistant and ductile adhesives are more suitable for joint geometries that exhibit large stress variations, while stronger but more brittle adhesives are recommended for joint geometries with more uniform stresses.