Until now, some test specimens with different shapes and loading mechanisms have been utilized for investigating the cracking behavior of adhesive bounded joints. In this research, using a novel test configuration called adhesive short bend beam specimen containing an inclined crack and loaded by three-point bending, mixed mode I/II fracture parameters of a crack initiated in the adhesive part is studied. Compared to other test methods, the specimen used in this research needs a lesser amount of material and the fracture test can be performed easily. A large number of finite element models of this specimen were analyzed using ABAQUS code to study the effect of adhesive and adherent type, and also the crack length and loading span distance on KI, KII, T-stress and fracture initiation direction under different mode mixities. The results showed that the fracture parameters (and in particular the shear mode component) are sensitive to the type and location of adherent in the bounded joint; however, the shape and size of fracture plastic zone is not affected noticeably by the type of adhesive-adherent materials. It was also shown that the complete mode mixities ranging from pure mode I to pure mode II can be introduced for adhesive bounded joints using the proposed test specimen and therefore the specimen is a good candidate test configuration for investigating the mixed mode I/II fracture behavior of adhesive bounded joints.
Brittle fracture investigation from disc specimen weakened by U- notch in mixed mode I + II