Use of artificial neural networks for modelling rate dependent behaviour of adhesive materials

This research work highlights the use of artificial neural networks (ANN) for modelling the rate-dependent response of adhesive materials with the purpose of expanding the established method for modelling the response of adhesively bonded structures, and in particular single lap joints. The motivation for this work comes after a viscoplastic model developed in a previous research work failed to predict the response of single lap joints bonded with a rate dependent adhesive material. The viscoplastic model, however, was successful in replicating both bulk and shear properties of the used adhesive system. Predictions made using the rate-dependent von Mises material model proved to be successful in predicting the behaviour of single lap joints, but it could not model the shear data using the tensile data due to hydrostatic stress sensitivity in the adhesive itself. Accurate predictions of the rate-dependent behaviour using artificial neural networks are possible with the availability of stress and strain data sets from experiments. This is where the neural network constitutive model directly acquires the information on the material behaviour from experimental data sets. Material data defining both the tensile and shear response of the adhesive system was extracted from previous research work. An artificial neural network constitutive model was developed and then used to replicate experimental data and also to generate further data at other strain rates. The available model could be slightly modified and then used to investigate various geometrical parameters, such as overlap length, plate thickness and adhesive thickness on joint strength.