An investigation on damage loads of mechanical butt joints in composite structures

With the advanced technology of our time comes an increased need for high quality materials. The conventional engineering materials are no longer adequate to suit the needs of the manufacturing process. Therefore, there is constant growth in the fields of the use of composite materials formed by the combination of two or more materials. Also various difficulties occur in the field where the composite materials are used. The systems which will be used both in the manufacturing process and in engineering designs are composed of more than one component. Therefore, the components should be jointed for the system designed. These joints are enabled with mechanical and bonding techniques. In this study, mechanical joints made with a joint lock having I profile have been recommended for use instead of the bonding technique in the butt joint of the composite plates. Load-carrying capacities of the locks of different dimensions formed with the exchange of basic geometric parameters that characterize I profile joint lock and its effects on the first damage have been analyzed experimentally and numerically. Determining the optimal joint with the best strength has also been conducted. The composite structure has been prevented from complete damage by the determination of the initial damage that may occur on I profile joint lock. Thus, the lifespan of the composite structure has been increased with the exchange of the lock component. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav