Micro-mechanical modeling of nano-toughened adhesives
Signi cant toughening of structural adhesives is attainable with addition of nano particles.Experimental Tapered Double Cantilever Beam (TDCB) tests conducted at University Col-lege Dublin (UCD) have observed a signi cant dependance of the fracture toughness of theseadhesives with bond gap thickness[2]. Classical analysis suggests the change in toughness maybe attributed to a physical constraint of the size of which a plastic zone around a crack tipmay develop. However, simulation of these TDCB tests using OpenFOAM have found thatlittle plasticity develops in the bulk adhesive layer and is instead concentrated in the fractureprocess zone. Signi cant changes in void evolution with bond gap is observed on the fracturesurface of these tests using SEM. This research aims to develop a realistic numerical model ofthe studied adhesive to investigate the parameters a ecting damage evolution and fracture inthe fracture process zone, which ultimately a ect the toughness of these adhesives.