Strength analysis of adhesively-bonded tubular single lap steel-steel joints under axial loads considering residual thermal stresses

The static tensile load bearing capability of adhesively-bonded tubular single lap joints calculated using linear mechanical adhesive properties is usually far less than the experimentally-determined one because the majority of the load transfer of adhesively-bonded joints is accomplished by the nonlinear behavior of the rubber-toughened epoxy adhesive. In this paper, both the nonlinear mechanical properties and the residual thermal stresses in the adhesive resulting from joint fabrication were included in the stress calculation of adhesively-bonded joints. The nonlinear tensile properties of the adhesive were approximated by an exponential equation which was represented by the initial tensile modulus and ultimate tensile strength of the adhesive. From the tensile tests and the stress analyses of adhesively-bonded joints, a Failure model for adhesively-bonded tubular single lap joints under axial loads was proposed.