Rubber model for adhesive lap joints

Abstract

Models of adhesive joints have been constructed in which hard rubber has been used as the adherends and relatively soft foam rubber as the adhesive. The models were scaled to represent various types of lap joint. Very good agreement was obtained when the experimental results were compared with available theory, showing that the model accurately represented the shear-stress distribution in the adhesive. Two joints are shown in which the adhesive thickness was profiled (one optimally, the other linearly) to reduce or eliminate the shear-stress concentration at the ends.