Lap shear of a soft and elastic adhesive

This paper studies the lap shear, in which both adhesive and adherends are elastic, but is much softer than adherends. The shear lag model identifies a length, called length Ls. energy release rate of debond crack affected by elasticity Their relative importance characterized ratio remaining joint, L, to In short-joint limit, L/Ls→0, do not deform, gives rate. long-joint L/Ls→∞, interior does an approximate expression for all values L/Ls. excellent agreement with results obtained finite element calculations, so long as compared thickness adhesive.