Bonded Car: CAE reliability tools &design methods for structures with hybrid bonded joints

To enable companies to successfully compete today and in the future, they need to develop the next generation of light weight environmentally friendly and sustainable transportation systems. As these products are subjected to demanding and repeated loadings, it is necessary to be able to predict the durability performance of the joints in the vehicle.
The Bonded Car project has developed commercially available software simulation tools to predict the operating life of five joining technologies: - Structural Adhesive, Self-Pierce Rivets, Aluminium Spot Welds, Weld-Bonded and Riv-Bonded.
This will enable the type of joint, location and number of joints required to be determined, to meet the durability operating performance of the structure, while reducing both cost and weight.