Estimation of Bondline Dimensions in Adhered Metal Joints Using Ultrasonic Lamb Waves: Finite Element Studies of Underlying Physical Phenomena

The automotive industry is increasingly interested in using adhesive bonding in the construction of body shell assemblies. Adhesive joints offer some significant potential advantages over conventional welding techniques, including improved strength and stiffness, greater flexibility in designs, and reduced costs. The NDE requirements associated with the introduction of adhesive bonding include the confirmation during construction that the dimensions of the adhesive in the joint are within specified tolerances. In the common case of a lap joint, illustrated in Figure 1, the key dimensions are the bond thickness and the overlap length