UNDERSTANDING JOINTS AND STRESS

The basic types of adhesive joints and loading forces are illustrated on the two following pages. The simple lap joint. On loading, the adhesive and the adherend react to the applied forces. There is a shear force along the plane of the joint and a peel force at right angles to it. These stresses are at a maximum at the edges of the bond where they cause high levels of strain and twisting as illustrated in the drawing. Basic bonded joints between sheetmetal. In practical structures two or more basic types may be used in combination, and the relative dimensions of the joints may vary from those shown.