City Research Online

Abstract

This paper presents a method for predicting fatigue crack propagation in adhesive bonded composite joints with an initial full-width disbond using finite element analysis and numerical integration of the material's fatigue crack growth rate law. Fatigue tests were conducted on single lap joints. Crack lengths were monitored from four runout corners. In-situ crack growth measurements were performed by ink injection to identify the crack front profile during fatigue loading. The crack growth was modelled using a fracture mechanics criterion considering two different crack propagation patterns. The material's fatigue crack growth rate law was determined experimentally using the standard double cantilever beam and end notch flexure specimens. Using the total strain energy release rate and the two crack scenarios, the numerical model predicted the lower and upper bounds of the measured fatigue crack growth rates of the lap joint.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2018. 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:	Single lap joints, Adhesive bond, Finite element analysis, Fatigue crack growth rate, Fatigue life prediction
Subjects:	T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
Departments:	School of Science & Technology > Engineering
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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