Objective:

To understand the failure mechanisms in adhesively bonded structures through combined Theoretical, Numerical and Experimental investigation. The approach is to model typical fracture processes, predict/measure fracture resistance and finally to provide guidelines to improve surface preparation processes used in industry. The proposed method has several advantegs over numerical methods, such sa finite-element analysis, for parametric study of cavity growth with large plastic deformation.

    We model the cavitation induced plastic flow in a confined, ductile layer using a new method. In this new method, the potential flow field of the fluid is used to approximate the plastic deformation. The principle of virtual work is then applied to determine the traction-separation law.
 

Experimental work:
 

Schematic of a bilayer double cantilever beam (LDCB) specimen used to find the fracture toughness of aluminum/epoxy interfaces
 

Publications:

Zhang S., Hsia K. J. and Pearlstein A. J., "Potential flow model of cavitation-induced interfacial fracture in a confined ductile layer", Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids , 50, 549-569 (2002). [PDF]

Zhang, S., Panat, R., and Hsia, K. J., "Influence of surface morphology on the adhesion strength of epoxy-aluminum interfaces", J. Adhesion Sci. Technol, 17 (12) 1685-1711 (2003). [PDF]

Sponsored by the Department of Engineering Micro Research Lab.

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