Joining Forces in Assembled Composite Beams

Abstract

This study investigated the joining force of assembled composite beams. Two identical composite laminates made of cross-ply glass/epoxy were joined via various joining techniques such as adhesive bonding, mechanical riveting, stitching joining and combinations of these techniques. The assembled two-laminate composite beams were loaded by four-point bending. The corresponding normal strains were identified by moire interferometry. Depending on the joining condition between the laminates, the moire patterns of u-fringes and v-fringes may be continuous or discontinuous across the joining interface. To quantify the joining condition, two analytical models based on the Classical Beam Theory, the interface model and the interphase model, were presented. The joining forces of the assembled composite beams were identified. Mechanical riveting was found to be an efficient joining technique for assembling the thin composite laminates.