The three-dimensional nature of the state of deformation in a single-lap test specimen is investigated in a linear elastic finite element analysis in which the boundary conditions account for the geometrically non-linear effects. The validity of the model is demonstrated by comparing the resulting displacement fields with those obtained from a moiré inteferometry experiment. The three-dimensional adherend and adhesive stress distributions are calculated and compared with those from a two-dimensional non-linear numerical analysis, Goland and Reissner's solution, and experimental measurements. The nature of the three-dimensional mechanics is described and discussed in detail. It is shown that three-dimensional regions exists in the specimen, where the adherend and adhesive stress distributions in the overlap near (and especially on) the free surface are quite different from those occurring in the interior. It is also shown that the adhesive peel stress is extremely sensitive to this three-dimensional effect, but the adhesive shear is not. It is also observed that the maximum value of the peel stress occurs at the end of the overlap in the central two-dimensional core region, rather than at the corners where the three-dimensional effects are found. The extent of three-dimensional regions is also quantified.
Experimental study of non-linear effects of photomultiplier gain