5.1.2 Types of Joints
The ideal bonded joint is one that, under all practical loading conditions, the adhesive is stressed in the direction in which it most resists failure. A suitable joint design can be used to reduce the effects of stress on the bond line. However, some joint designs may be physically or aesthetically impractical for a particular assembly, expensive to implement or hard to align. The design engineer will often have to weigh these factors along with optimal adhesive performance. The most common and cost-effective joint designs are discussed in the following sections.