Shear stress is across the adhesive bond. The bonded materials are being forced to slide over each other. Cleavage stress is concentrated at one edge and exerts a prying force on the bond. Peel stress is concentrated along a thin line at the bond's edge. One surface is flexible.
Most applications combine stresses.
The following six points elaborate on the advantages of using adhesives for stress resistance and more. Uniform distribution of stress over the entire bonded area can eliminate stress concentration caused by rivets, spot welds and similar mechanical fastening. Lighter, thinner materials can often be used without sacrificing strength. Bonding laminates of dissimilar materials can produce combinations superior in strength and performance to either adherent alone. Adhesive flexibility compensates for differences in coefficients of expansion.