Analytical models of adhesively bonded joints—Part I: Literature survey

An extensive literature review on existing analytical models for both single and double-lap joints has been made to assist the designer to choose the right model for a particular application. The literature review shows that almost all analytical models for adhesively bonded lap joints are two-dimensional. This is generally sufficient because the stresses in the width direction are significantly lower than in the direction of the loading. Most of the analyses are linear elastic for both adherends and adhesive because the inclusion of material non-linearity renders the solution too complex. As the degree of complexity and the number of stress components in the adhesive and the adherends increase, the initial analytical problem must be solved numerically. A summary of the main analyses is presented indicating the conditions of applicability and the stress components considered. A comparative study of various models of increasing complexity and how strength predictions based on these models compare with experimental data is presented in an accompanying paper.