Stress Distribution in Single Lap Joints with a Cracked Composite Adherend—Part II: Laminated Adherends

Abstract

The effect of a crack in the overlap region of an adhesive single lap joint is studied on the shear stress distribution in adhesive layer. Each adherend is considered to be a laminated composite material with unidirectional fibers aligned in the direction of the applied load. Crack location is selected to be in the top adherend laminate, in the form of cut fibers and matrix bays. The crack can occur in any layer. The shear-lag model is used to derive the equilibrium equations which are then solved by means of eigenvector expansion. The effects of adhesive thickness, crack size, and location in the adherend, total number of layers in each adherends, volume fraction of fibers, and type of fibers are investigated on the shear distribution in the adhesive as well as load distribution in the intact fiber at the crack tip located in the top adherend. The effect of dissimilar laminated adherends is also investigated on the adhesive shear stress distribution. According to the results, in the presence of a crack, the peak shear stress in the adhesive layer and load concentration in the fibers are very susceptible to the adhesive thickness and number of layers in laminated adherends.