Abstract:

Adhesive joints are a fastening method that can be employed as an alternative to mechanical connection techniques and is increasingly used in many areas of the industry. The first studies on estimating the strength of adhesive joints were made analytically. Then, with the widespread use of the finite element method, which is a numerical way, the strength estimates of adhesive joints began to be made comprehensively without any geometry limitation. Numerous damage criteria are present in the literature for damage estimation of adhesive bonds. In order to use these criteria, after the stress or strain distributions in the critical region are calculated by analytical or numerical methods, damage estimates can be made by determining the most appropriate criterion. In the selection of criteria, the connection geometry and the mechanical behavior of the adhesive used are important. In addition, for the adhesive damage criteria to be applied, the adhesive layer must be the weakest part of the overall strength of the joint. In this study, failure loads were obtained using analytical models and finite element method for a simple bonding joint formed by using epoxy adhesive and steel plate. Analytical and numerical damage loads were compared with the damage load obtained as a result of the previous experimental study.

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