Finite element modeling of adhesive failure with adherend yielding

In this thesis, both stress-analysis and cohesive zone modeling (CZM) approaches were used to develop peel finite element models, aimed at predicting the strengths of steady-state peel tests with top adherend ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm and peel angles ranging from 30 to 90 degrees. For the stress-analysis approach, a critical Von-Miles strain failure criterion was investigated and found to be independent of the peel angle but dependent on the peel arm thickness. For the CZM, an energy-based failure criterion was used. It was observed that once the parameters of the traction-separation curves characterizing the CZM were calibrated using a 1 mm, 90° peel test, it could be used to give reasonable predictions of peel strengths for the 1 mm and 2 mm peel tests. However, the predicted peel strengths of the 3 mm peel tests were significantly lower than the experimental results.