Abstract

Laboratory coupon joints for fatigue debonding tests usually have narrow width and a through-width initial disbond. However, realistic structural joints are much wider and may contain process-induced defects and accidental damage; both are much smaller than the joint width. Small and discrete damage may behave differently from the idealised through-width disbond crack. This has brought a question on whether the laboratory coupon joint can accurately represent the fatigue behaviour of wider structural joints. This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of fatigue behaviour of a wide bonded lap joint with a process-induced defect of semi-circular shape. Fatigue debonding propagation was monitored by ultrasound inspection. Fatigue life was predicted using a normalised strain energy release rate parameter calculated by finite element method, and the adhesive material fatigue crack growth rate data measured under single and mixed mode conditions. Simulation of process-induced defect and validation by experiments have brought a better understanding of fatigue debonding behaviour in wide joints containing realistic damage. Suggestions are given for fatigue fracture tests of bonded joints.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2020. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Publisher Keywords:	Adhesive bonding, Disbond, Composites, Finite element analysis, Fatigue life prediction
Subjects:	T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
Departments:	School of Science & Technology > Engineering

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