A Numerical Analysis of Double Notch on Stress Distribution in Single Lap Aluminium Joints

The stress distributed in the mid-bondline of the joints made of aluminium alloy and an epoxy adhesive was determined with the ANSYS software. The results from the FEA showed that the values of the peak stresses of the all the stress components (including the longitudinal stress Sx, the peel stress Sy, the shear stress Sxy, the 1st principal stress S1 and the von Mises equivalent stress Seqv) distributed in the mid-bondline are changed a little as the notch distance L was increased while the notch depth d was not great than 0.6mm. But the evidently changes occurred when the notch depth d was great than 0.9 mm for the stress Sx, Sy and S1 distributed in both the mid-bondline and the interface of the lap zone. When taken the stress distributed in the middle part of the lap zone into account, the peak stress at the point in the mid-bondline corresponding to the edge of the notch decreased firstly and then increased again as the notch distance L was increased from 0 mm to 8 mm. The proper geometry of the notch in the specimen was chosen by finite element analysis.