Experimental and numerical analyses of adhesively bonded T-joints under crash loading

Adhesively bonded metallic T-joints were subjected to impact at different loading directions and loading rates ranging from quasi-static to crash. Different damage and failure mechanisms were observed depending on the loading configuration. Finite element simulations were performed with ABAQUS/explicit using a user-defined, fully rate dependent material model for cohesive elements describing the material response of the adhesive bond lines. The FE simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental evidence, capturing both, the observed damage mechanisms, and the recorded force-displacement response.