Bio-inspired design of aerospace composite joints for improved damage tolerance

This paper uses a bio-inspired design strategy based on tree branch joints to improve the damage tolerance of co-cured composite T-joints. The design of tree branch joints at different length scales from the microstructural to the macro-length scale was investigated. X-ray computed tomography of a pine tree revealed three main features of tree branch joints which provide high structural efficiency and damage tolerance: integrated design with the branch embedded into the centre of the trunk; three-dimensional fibril lay-up in the principal stress directions; and variable fibril density to achieve iso-strain conditions through the joint connection. Research presented in this paper adapts the embedded structural feature of tree joints into a carbon/epoxy T-joint. The flange plies were embedded to 25%, 50% and 75% of the depth of the skin of the composite T-joint to mimic the design of tree branch joints. Experimental testing revealed that the bio-inspired T-joint design with integrated adherends had increased normalised inelastic strain energy (defined as ductility), increased normalised absorbed strain energy to failure, and higher load-carrying capacity following damage initiation (damage tolerance) compared to a conventionally bonded T-joint. However, these improvements were achieved at the expense of earlier onset of damage initiation in the T-joints.