Strength of adhesively-bonded tubular single lap carbon/epoxy composite-steel joints

Abstract

The static tensile load bearing capability of adhesively-bonded tubular single lap joints if calculated using the linear mechanical adhesive properties is usually less than the experimentally determined one because the majority of the load transfer of adhesively-bonded joints is accomplished by the nonlinear behavior of the rubber-toughened epoxy adhesive. In this paper, both nonlinear mechanical properties and fabrication residual thermal stresses of adhesive were included in the stress calculation of adhesively-bonded tubular single lap carbon/epoxy composite-steel joints. During calculation, nonlinear tensile properties of adhesive were approximated by an exponential equation that was represented by the initial tensile modulus and ultimate tensile strength of adhesive obtained from tensile tests. From the tensile tests and the stress analyses of adhesively-bonded tubular single lap carbon/epoxy composite-steel joints with respect to stacking angles of carbon/epoxy composite adherends, the failure model for the adhesively-bonded tubular single lap carbon/epoxy composite-steel joint under the axial tensile load was proposed with considering fabrication residual thermal stresses.