Strength evaluation of scarf joint bonded with adhesive resin. (1st report Adherends of the same metals)

Abstract

The strength evaluation of adhesively bonded scarf joints having adherends of similar materials was investigated both analytically and experimentally, in order to establish the strength design of adhesive bonding. The strain and stress distributions in the joints of carbon steel (S45C) bonded with epoxy resin were analyzed by applying the elastic finite element method. The strength of the joints was predicted by applying the strength laws to the adherend, adhesive layer and their interfaces. The validity of the predicted joint strength was confirmed by the experimental results. The effects of the joint dimensions on the strength were examined by varying the overlap length (or scarf angle) and the adherend thickness. The analytical strain distributions were in good agreement with the experimental ones. The results of strength prediction coincided approximately with the experimental ones, so the joint strength was successfully predicted by applying the strength laws to those analytical results.