An experimental and numerical investigation of adhesive bond strength in Al-GFRP single lap and double butt lap joints due to applied longitudinal loads

ABSTRACT

Failure and fracture response of two shear resistive joints namely, single lap joint (SLJ) and double butt lap joint (DBLJ) of aluminium and GFRP adherents bonded with a ductile adhesive, has been investigated experimentally and numerically under static tensile loading. Numerical simulations were carried out by the CZM approach through 2D and 3D FE models. The joints progressive damages and effects of various cohesive parameters were analysed. In spite of some previous studies showing lower strengths in SLJs compared to DBLJs with aluminium adherents, here, the results indicated that in an AL-GFRP bonded SLJ, tensile strength may averagely be 33% higher than that for DBLJ. Failure load and stiffness were overestimated by the FEM with the CZM approach. A compound failure mechanism was observed in both type of joints with the most dominant failure mode of light fibre tear in mat layer of composite adherents and yielding of aluminium adherent.

KEYWORDS:

• Adhesive joint
• cohesive law
• numerical analysis
• failure
• progressive damage

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.