Special 2-D and 3-D Geometrically Nonlinear Finite Elements for Analysis of Adhesively Bonded Joints

摘要

A three-dimensional finite element was developed to compute stresses in adhesively bonded joints. This element considers geometric nonlienaritiesand can be used to analyze fatigue failure of adhesive structures. Shell instead of plate elements represent the adherends. This improves convergence of the model due to a close representation of curved geometries.Adhesively bonded joints can be modeled using continuum finite elements. But they do not converge as fast as the special adhesive element presented in this work. This is because these elements represent bending effects better than continuum elements.Aerospace industry and, particularly, aircraft maintenance are fields where the application of adhesive bonding is flourishing. For example, the lifetime of aging aircrafts can be economically extended by the application of patches bonded over the flaws located in the wings or the fuselage. The adhesive finite elements presented in this study could become a useful analysis tool for that field.