Analytical solutions to the shear strength of interfaces failing under flexure loading conditions

Flexure experiments have been performed on steel substrates having a rib of methacrylate resin cast as a stiffener on the steel. Samples were loaded u ntil resin delaminated from the substrate and the load at failure was recor ded. An analytical solution for a composite beam was used to relate the for ce at failure to interfacial shear stress. This resulted in an average esti mated shear strength of 490 kPa (71 psi) for a resin/steel interface. The a ccuracy of the analytic solution was examined using a three-dimensional fin ite element analysis (FEA). The FEA was also used to examine the assumption s of the first approximation analytic solution. The analytic solution can b e applied more generally, considering the mechanical characteristics of bot h constituents, to design experiments that lead to a simplified determinati on of interfacial shear strength. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.