Mechanical behavior of adhesive joints: A review on modeling techniques

In the pursuit of lighter designs, many industries are shifting from conventional fasteners to adhesive joints, which offer a better strength-to-weight ratio and facilitate the use of fiber-reinforced polymers. However, modeling adhesive joints presents major challenges due to the complex behavior of polymeric adhesives and the microstructural changes induced by the substrates. As a result, various simulation methods have been developed to capture the behavior of adhesive joints across different scales. Molecular dynamics studies address atomistic and nanoscale phenomena, while continuum approaches — such as the finite element method, cohesive zone models, and peridynamics — focus on meso and macro scales. Additionally, multiscale methods combine particle and continuum approaches to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the adhesive bond behavior. This review paper offers an overview of the most relevant numerical methods employed to examine the mechanical behavior of adhesive joints and illustrates the simulations’ applications through examples from the literature.