The aim of this research was to optimize the geometry of a double-cup specimen for tensile testing of adhesive bonds. For this purpose, the influence of the geometry of the double-cup specimen on the stress distribution when subjected to static tensile loads was studied through the finite element method. The work was divided into three stages: construction of a finite element model representative of double-cup test, selection of the appropriate parameters for the design of the double cup, and finally the use of the specimen optimized geometry for tensile strength estimation of three different adhesive bonds in order to validate the model. The results obtained show that the tensile strength of an adhesive bond as well as its stress distribution can be determined. (c) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2009