Numerical simulation of adhesive joints under impact loading conditions

Adhesive joining technology is now extensively used in different fields of application, in particular in the automotive industry thanks to its ability to exhibit a smooth stress distribution along the bonded area which is particularly useful for lightweight composite structural parts. However, there are no standards or procedures generally adopted in research or industry to study the mechanical behaviour of adhesive joints subjected to impact. The thesis aims to propose and develop a LS-DYNA model to evaluate the mechanical properties of adhesive joints under impacts. The main aim of this work is to propose a model and a methodology that can assess the behaviour of the adhesive joints under impact loading and to validate it via experimental tests. The activity was carried out on composite and steel substrates bonded with an adhesive used in the automotive industry.