A method to predict fracture in an adhesively bonded joint

Abstract The application of a fracture criterion, formulated in terms of material-induced stress/strain singularities at the terminus of an adhesive joint, to cohesive fracture in a single lap joint is presented. The criterion can be interpreted physically in terms of the elastic strain energy density. The strength of the singularities depends on the elastic properties of the adhesive and adherends and the geometry of the bond terminus, but is independent of loading and global geometry. A finite element method is used to predict the limit load of an adhesively bonded single lap joint from a known value of Q crit , the critical singular intensity factor. This method may be applicable to general joint geometries.