Shear strength

The shear strength of a material is an important characteristic value in strength theory. It describes the maximum shear force that a material can withstand before it breaks. The shear strength depends on many factors, such as the type of material, its crystal structure, the temperature and the speed at which the shear force is applied.

Shear strength is particularly important for materials that are subjected to shear stress, such as adhesive surfaces, screws, bolts or gears. Too low a shear strength here can lead to failure of the material.

The shear strength describes the strength of the connection of joined parts and is not to be confused with the tensile strength, which describes the strength of an individual material under tensile load.

In practice, the tensile and shear strength of materials are determined by experimental tests. The results of these tests are of great importance for the development and optimisation of structures such as adhesive joints. This is because they help to select and size adhesives to withstand the demands of their applications and provide reliable performance.