The reduction of stress concentrations in adhesive joints with the use of curved aluminum adherends

The study proposes a novel concept of a curved single lap joint (SLJ) with non- uniform adhesive thickness to reduce stress concentrations near overlap edges. Experimental and numerical methodologies investigate this joint using two adhesives: Araldite 2015-1 and AV138. Numerical models in ABAQUS predict cohesive failure in the adhesive layer. The curved configuration doesn't significantly enhance strength in SLJ using ductile adhesives, but for brittle ones, strength increased by 131% due to sensitivity to peak stresses. In conclusion, the curved SLJ effectively reduces stress concentrations and the effectiveness of this concept is linked to the ductility of the adhesive used.