Modelling and predicting fatigue crack growth in structural adhesive joints

The present paper examines crack growth in a range of structural adhesive joints under cyclic-fatigue loadings. It is shown that cyclic-fatigue crack-growth in such materials can be modelled by a form of the Hartman and Schijve crack-growth equation which aims to give a unique and linear ‘master’ representation for the fatigue data points that have been experimentally obtained. This relationship is shown to capture the experimental data representing the effects of test conditions, such as the R-ratio (=σmin/σmax) present in the fatigue cycle and test temperature. It also captures the typical scatter often seen in such tests, especially at low values of the fatigue crack-growth rate. Furthermore, the methodology is shown to be applicable to, and to unify, the results from Mode I (opening tensile), Mode II (in-plane shear) and Mixed-Mode I/II fatigue tests. Finally, it is used to predict successfully the rate of fatigue crack-growth in two bonded-repair type joints where naturally-occurring disbonds have initiated and grown.