An experimental–numerical investigation of hydrothermal response in adhesively bonded composite structures

Water absorption and thermal response of adhesive composite joints were investigated by measurements and numerical simulations. Water diffusivity, saturation, swelling, and thermal expansion of the constituent materials and the joint were obtained from gravimetric experiments and strain measurements using embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. The mechanical response of these materials at different temperatures and water content was characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis. Thermal loading and water absorption in joint specimens were detected by monitoring the FBG wavelength shift caused by thermal expansion or water swelling. The measured parameters were used in finite element models to simulate the response of the embedded sensor. The good correlation of experimental data and simulations confirmed that the change in FBG wavelength could be accurately related to the thermal load or water absorption process. The suitability of the embedded FBG sensors for monitoring of water uptake in adhesive composite joints was demonstrated.     

A method for measurement of multiple constitutive properties for composite materials

Accurate stress–strain constitutive properties are essential for understanding the complex deformation and failure mechanisms for materials with highly anisotropic mechanical properties. Among such materials, glass-fiber- and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer–matrix composites play a critical role in advanced structural designs. The large number of different methods and specimen types currently required to generate three-dimensional allowables for structural design slows down the material characterization. Also, some of the material constitutive properties are never measured due to the prohibitive cost of the specimens needed. This work shows that simple short-beam shear (SBS) specimens are well-suited for measurement of multiple constitutive properties for composite materials and that can enable a major shift toward accurate material characterization. The material characterization is based on the digital image correlation (DIC) full-field deformation measurement. Two key elements show advantage of using DIC in the SBS tests. First, tensile, compressive, and shear stress–strain relations are measured in a single experiment. Second, a counter-intuitive feasibility of closed-form stress and modulus models, normally applicable to long beams, is demonstrated for short-beam specimens. The modulus and stress–strain data are presented for glass/epoxy and carbon/epoxy material systems.     

胶粘剂对表贴式FBG传感器应变传递系数的影响

利用光纤光栅（FBG）传感器对基体表面应变进行测量,通常利用胶粘剂将光纤光栅传感器粘贴在基体表面,使其与基体协调变形。但胶粘剂在不同表面的粘接性能不同,对应变测量所造成的影响也就存在差异。针对这一问题,本文通过实验,简化应变传递模型,对比FBG传感器粘贴在等强度梁以及标准树脂试件的应变测量结果。结果表明:胶粘剂在基体表面的剪切强度越大,表面粘贴式FBG传感器的应变传递系数也越大。      

Through-thickness strain field measurement in a composite/aluminium adhesive joint

This paper presents an experimental procedure, which enables us to assess the shear strain field in an adhesive joint between composite and aluminium. In practice, this strain field is representative of the progressive stress transfer between a loaded structure and a composite patch used for reinforcement purposes. Digital image correlation (DIC) is used to measure the displacement field through the thickness of a patched specimen subjected to a tensile test. The shear strain field derives from the measured displacement field. The shear strain clearly decreases when the distance from the free edge of the adhesive increases, as predicted by numerical and analytical models of the joint. These measurements are used to estimate the in situ shear modulus of the adhesive. It is observed that the shear modulus decreases when the shear stress increases, thereby illustrating the non-linear response of the adhesive.     

Reinforced concrete beam–column joint strengthened with carbon fiber reinforced polymer

An effective rehabilitation strategy is proposed to enhance the strength and stiffness of the beam–column joint in this study. An analytical model is proposed to predict the column shear of the joints strengthened with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). Three full scale interior beam–column joints, including two specimens strengthened with CFRP and one prototype specimen, are tested in this study. The specimens are designed to represent the pre-seismic code design construction in which there is no transverse reinforcement. A new optical non-contact technique, digital image correlation (DIC), which can measure the full strain field of specimen, is used to measure and observe the full strain field of the joint. The experimental results show that the beam–column joints strengthened with CFRP can increase their structural stiffness, strength, and energy dissipation capacity. The rehabilitation strategy is effective to increase the ductility of the joint and transform the failure mode to beam or delay the shear failure mode. By observing the measured results, it is found that the mechanical anchorages can prevent the debonding of CFRP. Comparing the analytical and experimental results, the proposed model can accurately predict the column shear and shear strength of the joints strengthened with CFRP.     

反复荷载下型钢混凝土异形柱空间角节点的破坏机理及损伤分析

为了研究反复荷载作用下型钢混凝土(SRC)异形柱空间角节点的破坏机理及其损伤演变过程,设计9个试件进行低周反复荷载试验,考虑了柱截面配钢形式、轴压比、加载角度和梁的形式4个变化参数。观察其裂缝发展形态,揭示其破坏机理,获取了荷载-应变滞回曲线、节点核心区剪切变形和梁截面平均曲率。基于能量守恒定律,分析了反复荷载下试件的损伤规律,并分析了各变化参数对其累积损伤的影响。研究结果表明:反复荷载作用下SRC异形柱空间角节点发生的是弯曲、剪切斜压破坏为主、扭转伴随粘结破坏为辅的破坏形态。破坏时节点核心区钢材大部分已屈服,并且型钢应变、核心区剪切角、梁截面平均曲率均随柱肢角度的增加而减小。破坏时试件的累积损伤指标介于0.69~0.84,槽钢桁架试件各级位移下的累积损伤最大;45°加载实腹配钢试件较30°加载实腹配钢试件损伤更加严重;与45°加载试件相比,0°加载试件各级位移下累积损伤程度最高增加30%;轴压比对试件的损伤影响不大;与带钢梁试件相比,带型钢混凝土梁试件累积损伤有较大程度的缓解。     

A procedure to embed fibre Bragg grating strain sensors into GFRP sandwich structures

Embedding FBG strain sensors within a GFRP sandwich composite material allows early detection of internal defects. However, the sensors need to survive the manufacturing process to provide this capability. Vacuum infusion is commonly used to manufacture GFRP sandwich composite materials but, it needs to be modified to accommodate the embedding process. A stage by stage procedure is demonstrated here to embed FBG strain sensors between the skin–core interface of a GFRP sandwich beam specimen using the vacuum infusion method. Practical issues relating to sensor placement, fibre alignment, specimen lay-up and resin infusion are discussed. Also, the post cure effects of the resin on the FBG strain sensors are investigated. Static and dynamic load analyses are then performed to verify the repeatability and accuracy of the FBG strain sensors.     

Theoretical Analysis on Strain Transfer Error of FBG Sensors Attached on Steel Structures Subjected to Fatigue Load

Fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensors have been increasingly adopted to detect the dynamic strain of structures. When the sensor is attached on the surface, adhesive material is employed to assist the installation, which leads to indirect contact of sensing fibre and the monitored structure. To correct the strain transfer error induced by the shear lag effect and improve the measurement accuracy of FBG sensors under dynamic response, strain transfer mechanism of a three‐layered testing model constituted of sensing fibre, adhesive layer and host material has been studied in this paper. Laboratory test on steel beam attached with FBG sensor under fatigue load has been projected to investigate the feasibility of the derived strain transfer formula, and numerical simulation by MATLAB has been used as a supporting tool to offer the reference dynamic strain. Based on the analysis, sensitive parameters that affect the strain transfer coefficient have been discussed to instruct the application design of FBG sensors. Results indicate that strain transfer coefficient under dynamic response is much lower than that in static state, and error modification is particularly significant; in the dynamic testing model, bonded length, shear modulus and thickness of adhesive layer are more sensitive, which should be precisely selected in practical engineering to guarantee the effective strain measurement.     

Shear induced toughening in bonded joints: experiments and analysis

Bonded joint specimens were fabricated from composite adherends and either an epoxy or a urethane adhesive. In mixed-mode fracture experiments, the epoxy bonded specimens generally failed by subinterfacial fracture in the composite, while specimens bonded with urethane failed very close to the adhesive/substrate interface. For the epoxy bonded specimens, fracture toughness did not change significantly with mode-mix, but for urethane bonded joints, fracture toughness increased with increasing shear load. Finite element analysis, which modeled specimens bonded with the two adhesives, showed similar trends. The different toughening behaviors for the two bonded joints can be attributed to dissipation of energy through inelastic deformation, which was insignificant in the epoxy-bonded joints but substantial when the urethane was used as the bonding agent.     

Shear modulus estimation of the polymer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using digital image correlation

Single lap joint under tensile load is used as a standard test specimen for characterizing adhesive properties and is considered the simplest form of adhesive joints. This paper presents an experimental investigation of full-field displacement in single lap adhesive joint. For the single lap joint specimen, steel adherends are bonded using a flexible rubber elastic polymer. The experimental procedure is carried out using the digital image correlation (DIC) method. This method consists of an optical-numerical experimental approach developed for full-field and non-contact measurements. The principal main is to describe a new testing methodology to analyze and estimate the adhesive shear modulus of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which is a commercially available silicone elastic rubber.     

Comparison of nondestructive microfailure evaluation of fiber-optic Bragg grating and acoustic emission piezoelectric sensors using fragmentation test

Nondestructive evaluation of microfailure mechanisms in two-diameter SiC fibers/epoxy composites is investigated using a directly embedded fiber-optic sensor attached with an acoustic emission piezoelectric (AE-PZT) sensor. Interfacial shear strength by fragmentation test, and optical failure observation inside microcomposite can contribute to analyze two sensors quantitatively. Although fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor exhibits sudden wavelength shift due to plastic deformation by larger diameter SiC fiber breakage, AE-PZT monitors much more precise microfailure process, such as the fiber break or matrix cracking. Since the FBG sensor can measure the strain at only a single point, whether it can detect a fiber break in single-fiber composite specimen depends on its proximity to the failure location. In addition, micro-strain measurement at one single point may not provide enough information on the whole microfailure process including multiple fiber breakage and matrix crack. It can be considered that FBG sensor can be somewhat effective in measuring the continuous micro-strain change due to the internal disturbance such as resin curing, whereas AE-PZT sensor can be effective in detecting the microfailure by elastic wave propagation through the composite materials.     

型钢再生混凝土柱-钢梁组合框架节点抗剪承载力研究

为研究型钢再生混凝土柱-钢梁（SRRC柱-S梁）组合框架节点的抗剪承载力,该文对8个组合框架节点试件进行低周反复荷载试验,观察试件破坏过程及破坏形态,获得各加载阶段试件中型钢和钢筋的应变,分析再生粗骨料取代率和轴压比对节点抗剪承载力的影响规律。结果表明:节点抗剪承载力随取代率的增大而降低,但降低幅度不大;适当增大轴压比可以提高节点的抗剪承载力;试件屈服前,节点剪力主要由核心区再生混凝土承担;屈服后型钢腹板和箍筋起主要抗剪作用。在此基础上,分析节点区受力机理,推导型钢腹板、箍筋和再生混凝土各部分抗剪计算方法,最后通过叠加法建立该节点的抗剪承载力公式,计算结果与试验结果吻合较好,研究结果可为型钢再生混凝土柱-钢梁组合框架节点的工程应用提供参考。     

基于内埋光纤Bragg光栅传感器的复合材料固化过程监测

为了全面了解复合材料的固化特性,在对碳纤维增强树脂基复合材料固化变形进行数值仿真分析的基础上,将自行设计的光纤Bragg光栅（FBG）传感器埋入复合材料中,实时在线监测复合材料固化过程中温度和应变的演变。预浸料铺层方式为[0₁₁/90₁₁],分别在层合板0°和45°方向的典型位置埋入FBG温度和应变传感器,采用热模压方式固化成型复合材料层合板,并对成型后的层合板进行连续2次降温处理,实时记录固化过程中FBG传感器中心波长的变化。结果表明:在相同的温度条件下,复合材料在第1次降温初始阶段的压应变绝对值明显小于在第2次降温初始阶段的压应变绝对值,表明复合材料在第1次降温过程中仍在进行FBG传感器可检的“后固化”反应;此外,层合板变形的FBG传感器监测数据与有限元模拟结果吻合良好。因此,采用内埋FBG传感器的方法能够实时监测复合材料固化过程,为更全面地分析复合材料固化特性提供了一种可靠有效的方法。      

热残余应力对内埋光纤光栅传感器性能的影响

将布拉格光纤光栅(FBG)埋植于复合材料T型加筋板结构非干涉区—三角填充区作为应变传感器对复合材料加筋板在固化过程及冲击后压缩过程中的应变变化进行监测。对比了光纤刻栅区采用UV光固化树脂涂层保护和未保护的两种FBG传感器的波谱信号变化; 分析了复合材料在固化成型过程中产生的非轴对称热残余应力对FBG传感性能的影响。结果表明, 刻栅区采用聚合物涂层保护的FBG传感器的半峰宽(FWHM)在固化过程中未发生变化, 并且聚合物涂层可以有效地消除非轴对称热残余应力对光纤光栅反射波谱的影响。在冲击后压缩过程中, 采用聚合物涂层保护的FBG传感器测得的应变与贴于试样表面的应变片测得的应变数据一致性较好。本文对埋植于复合材料加筋板三角填充区的FBG传感器在复合材料固化过程及冲击后压缩过程中应变监测的有效性及可靠性进行了有益的探索。     

基于FBG传感技术的复合材料T型加筋板低速冲击损伤监测

针对碳纤维增强树脂复合材料低速冲击损伤的实时监测,设计将布拉格光纤光栅（FBG）传感器埋植在复合材料T型加筋板结构的三角填充区,在线监测复合材料T型加筋板冲击损伤过程。分别将FBG传感器埋植于复合材料层合板内部和复合材料T型加筋板的三角填充区,对比FBG传感器的埋入对复合材料层合板和复合材料T型加筋板力学性能的影响。结果表明,内埋FBG传感器的复合材料层合板试样的拉伸强度比未埋植传感器的层合板试样降低了约5%,但在FBG传感器的破坏应变范围内,FBG传感器可以准确、实时地监测复合材料的应变信号。将FBG传感器埋入复合材料T型加筋板的三角填充区,内埋FBG传感器的T型加筋板样件压缩破坏载荷与未埋植的样件基本一致。通过对比T型加筋板蒙皮上冲击位置、冲击能量对FBG传感器测得的冲击过程持续时间和最大应变值的影响,表明冲击过程持续时间随着冲击能量增大而延长,最大应变值随着冲击距离的增加呈下降趋势,而最大应变值随着冲击能量的增大呈上升趋势。利用FBG传感器测得的应变信号可初步实现对复合材料T型加筋板蒙皮冲击损伤位置及冲击能量的实时监测。      

An experimental investigation of the static and fatigue fracture behaviour of hybrid composite/metal joints for a tilting car body

The hybrid composite joint structures considered in this work, for application in a tilting railroad car body, are subjected to shear and bending loads. Two types of the joint specimens were fabricated and tested under both static and fatigue conditions: a hybrid bolted-joint specimen subjected to a shear loads, and a hybrid beam-joint specimen for the bending tests. The fracture behaviours of these specimens under static loads were different from those under cyclic loads. For the hybrid bolted-joint specimens, static shear loads caused a pure shear fracture in the bolt pin body itself. However, cyclic fatigue shear loads brought about an opening-mode fracture at the local site of the bolt which was the valley of the screwed region of the bolt pin and/or the perpendicularly angled region between the bolt head and the pin body. On the other hand, for the hybrid beam-joint specimens, static bending loads caused shear deformation and fracture in the honeycomb core region, while fatigue cyclic bend loading caused delamination along the interface between the composite skin and the honeycomb core, and/or caused a fracture in the welded part jointed with the steel under-frame. These fracture behaviours could arise in other industrial hybrid joints with similar sub-structures, and were used in developing a design parameter to improve a hybrid joint structure.     

Strengthening of non-seismically detailed reinforced concrete beam–column joints using SIFCON blocks

This article aims to propose a novel seismic strengthening technique for non-seismically detailed beam–column joints of existing reinforced concrete buildings, typical of the pre-1975 construction practice in Turkey. The technique is based on mounting pre-fabricated SIFCON composite corner and plate blocks on joints with anchorage rods. For the experimental part three 2/3 scale exterior beam–column joint specimens were tested under quasi-static cyclic loading. One of them was a control specimen with non-seismic details, and the remaining two with the same design properties were strengthened with composite blocks with different thickness and anchorage details. Results showed that the control specimen showed brittle shear failure at low drift levels, whereas in the strengthened specimens, plastic hinge formation moved away from column face allowing specimens to fail in flexure. The proposed technique greatly improved lateral strength, stiffness, energy dissipation, and ductility.     

The effect of a spew fillet on adhesive stress distributions in laminated composite single-lap joints

A laminated composite single-lap joint without a spew fillet, subjected to tensile loading, is investigated experimentally and numerically. By directly comparing the experimentally- and numerically-determined deformations of the single-lap joints with and without a fillet, the effect of a spew fillet on adhesive stress distributions is discussed. Moiré interferometry is used to measure the in-plane surface deformation of the overlap region of the test specimens. The deformation interactions of the laminated adherends, adhesive layer and a fillet are documented in the form of orthogonal components of the displacement fields (u and v). Two-dimensional, geometrically linear and nonlinear finite element analyses are performed to simulate the mechanical response of the laminated composite single-lap joint and the effect of a spew fillet. Experimental and numerical results indicate that the adhesive shear and peel strain (stress) concentrations can be reduced greatly by introducing a fillet at the end of the overlap, and these concentrations are affected by the geometrically nonlinear deformation of the single-lap joint.     

Strength and damage tolerance of composite–composite joints with steel and titanium through the thickness reinforcements

Today’s aeronautic, automotive and marine industry is in demand of structurally efficient, low weight alternatives for composite–composite joints which combine the advantages of low weight input of adhesively bonded joints and high damage tolerance of through the thickness bolted joints. In the present work, composite–composite joints are reinforced through the thickness by thin metal inserts carrying cold metal transfer welded pins (CMT pins). The influence of pin alignment and type of pin on the damage tolerance of single lap shear (SLS) composite–composite joints is investigated. The use of titanium reinforcements is evaluated and compared to stainless steel reinforced, adhesively bonded and co-cured specimens. A detailed analysis of the stress–strain behavior is given and the stiffness and energy absorption of the SLS joints during tensile loading is assessed. The results show that joints reinforced with CMT pins absorb significantly higher amounts of energy, when compared to adhesively bonded and co-cured joints.     

Novel beam analysis of end notched flexure specimen for mode-II fracture

A novel beam model of end notched flexure (ENF) specimen for mode-II fracture testing is presented. By applying the principle of superposition, the ENF specimen is modeled as two sub-problems: (1) an un-cracked beam under three-point bending; and (2) a skew symmetric cracked beam under shear traction on the crack surface. Due to skew-symmetry of sub-problem two, only the upper half of the beam is analysed, and based on compatibility of deformation, a shear compliance coefficient is introduced to establish beam deformation equation. Explicit and simple closed form solutions of compliance and strain energy release rate are obtained, and they compare well with existing finite element analyses. Compared to other available analytical methods of the ENF specimen, the present beam model is relatively simple and easy to use; further, it can be applied to other beam fracture specimen analysis (e.g., mixed mode fracture and bi-material interface specimen).