Fracture characteristics of a hybrid composite joint beam for the tilting car body under static and fatigue transverse loads

Abstract

Fatigue fracture behavior of a hybrid joint beam for the tilting car body was evaluated in comparison to the case of static fracture. Specimen beams of the hybrid joint part attached in the real tilting car body were fabricated for the bending test. Characteristic fracture behaviors of hybrid joint beam specimens under cyclic transverse loads were very different from the case under static loads. Static transverse load caused shear deformation and fracture in the honeycomb core region, while cyclic transverse load brought about delamination along the interface between composite skin and honeycomb core layers as well as fracture of the welded joint. Fracture characteristics obtained by the transverse fatigue tests were reflected for improving the hybrid joint structure in the real tilting car body.