Effect of Adhesive Type and Thickness on the Lap Shear Strength

Authors: da Silva, Lucas F. M.; Rodrigues, T. N. S. S.; Figueiredo, M. A. V.; de Moura, M. F. S. F.; Chousal, J. A. G.

Source: Journal of Adhesion, Volume 82, Number 11, November 2006 , pp. 1091-1115(25)

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd

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Abstract:

The effect of the adhesive thickness on the bond strength of single-lap adhesive joints is still not perfectly understood. The classical elastic analyses predict that the strength increases with the adhesive thickness, whereas experimental results show the opposite. Various theories have been proposed to explain this discrepancy, but more experimental tests are necessary to understand all the variables.The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of the adhesive thickness on the strength of single-lap joints for different kinds of adhesives. Three different adhesives were selected and tested in bulk. The strain to failure in tension ranged from 1.3% for the most brittle adhesive to 44% for the most ductile adhesive. The adherend selected was a high-strength steel to keep the adherends in the elastic range and simplify the analysis. Three thicknesses were studied for each adhesive: 0.2, 0.5, and 1Âmm.A statistical analysis of the experimental results shows that the lap shear strength increases as the bondline gets thinner and the adhesive gets tougher.

Keywords: Adhesive thickness; Epoxy; Finite element analysis; Lap shear strength; Mechanical properties of adhesives; Statistical analysis

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00218460600948511

Affiliations: 1: Department of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal

Publication date: 2006-11-01