Effects of bond gap thickness on the fracture of nano-toughened epoxy adhesive joints

The current work is a combined experimental-numerical study of the fracture behaviour of a nano-toughened, structural epoxy adhesive. The mode I fracture toughness of the adhesive is measured using tapered double-cantilever beam (TDCB) tests with various bond gap thicknesses ranging from 0.25 mm to 2.5 mm. Circumferentially deep-notched tensile specimens are independently employed to measure the cohesive strength of the adhesive as a function of constraint. The experimental TDCB test results are predicted numerically for each bond gap thickness using the Finite Volume method and a Dugdale cohesive zone model. A unique relationship between the fracture energy and the constraint level is established. The effect of bond gap thickness on the fracture behaviour of TDCB joints is hence directly attributed to the variation of the intrinsic fracture energy with constraint and not to the variation of the 'far field' plastic zone size with bond gap thickness. Using the well known Rice and Tracey void growth model, a link is established between the voids observed in the fracture process zone, the constraint imposed by the thickness of the adhesive and the resulting fracture energy.