Interactive guidance with stress analysis of adhesives joints

Recent research at NPL, has explored the use of finite element methods to determine stress and strain distributions in adhesive joints. This has been presented as an HTML document on CD and is available electronically through the links below. The document deals with the determination of the properties and parameters required by various elastic-plastic models in FE packages that describe the non-linear mechanical behaviour of tough adhesives. The equations and parameters that form the basis of different models are introduced, and procedures for analysing experimental data to determine model parameters are explained and illustrated. Suitable test methods for obtaining the experimental data are also described. Illustrations are given of stress and strain distributions in the adhesive layer of some common joint geometries that have been calculated using different materials models.

By presenting this information in HTML format, the reader is able to browse the document and select those aspects of particular interest. There is scope in future for using the document as an index to a number of Smart Manuals. These Manuals would carry out specific data analysis tasks using input data supplied by the reader.

For access to this electronic guide, see the NPL web page

Contours of the hydrostatic component of stress in the fillet region of the adhesive layer in a T-peel joint specimen calculated using the exponent Drucker-Prager model. Note, the pressure stress is calculated which is negative under hydrostatic tension. Units are MPa.