FAILURE RESPONSE OF TWO SERIAL BOLTED JOINTS IN COMPOSITE LAMINATES

In this study, the failure response of two serial bolted joints in composite laminates was investigated. The composite material was consisted of epoxy matrix and glass fibers. To find out the effects of joint geometry and stacking sequences on the failure response, parametric studies were performed experimentally. Three different geometrical parameters that were the edge distance-to-hole diameter ratio (E/D), plate width-to-hole diameter ratio (W/D) and the distance between two serial holes-to-hole diameter ratio (K/D) were investigated. Hence, E/D, W/D and K/D ratios were considered from 1 to 5, 2 to 5 and 3 to 5, respectively. In addition, the failure tests were carried out for a range of preload moments as 2, 3, 4, 5 Nm and without any preload moments as 0Nm. Tested composite laminates were oriented two different stacking sequences as [0 degrees] 8 and [0 degrees/0 degrees/90 degrees/90 degrees](s). Experimental results point out that failure response of two serial bolted composite joints are firmly effected from material parameters, geometrical parameters and the magnitudes of applied preload moments