Strength and Finite Element Analysis of Single-Lap Joints With Adhesively Filled Columns

This paper introduces a novel approach to increasing the loading ability of adhesive joints by adding adhesively filled columns. Following procedures are taken for making adhesive joints with adhesively filled columns: At first, holes are drilled at the overlap region of adherends, and then these holes are filled with adhesive or reinforced columns (such as reinforced fiber composite, metal columns, etc.). At the same time, adhesive is also applied on the surfaces of the overlap of adherends. After cured, the reinforced columns and adhesive in the holes form so-called adhesively filled columns. In this study, strengths of single-lap adhesive joints with adhesively filled columns were measured experimentally. Stress and strain distributions at typical positions in adhesive layer were analyzed by using Finite Element Method (FEM). Failure mechanics of the joint were analyzed. It was found that to well-bonded joints, the metal columns make the joint strength increase obviously and the joint strength increases with increasing of adherend thickness. Therefore, using reinforced columns in adhesive joints is an effective approach to generalizing adhesive joints from thin-walled joints to loading sizable bulk ones.