Structural design of single lap joints with delaminated FRP composite adherends

This paper deals with the structural design of single lap joints (SLJs) with delaminated adherends using fracture mechanics principles. The interlaminar stresses and Strain Energy Release Rate (SERR) are considered as damage characterizing parameters used for designing the SLJ when delamination damages are pre-embedded in both the adherends at similar positions. Three dimensional geometrically non-linear finite element analyses (FEAs) of SLJ with delaminated adherends have been performed to determine the interlaminar and SERR values along the delamination fronts by simulating the simultaneous interaction delamination damages when pre-embedded at similar positions in both the adherends. SERR values are evaluated using Modified Crack Closure Technique (MCCI) which is based on energy principle. The delaminations are assumed to be of linear front, and have been considered to be embedded in both the laminated FRP composite adherends beneath the surface ply of the adhesively bonded SLJ. The delamination damages are presumed either to pre-exist or get evolved at the interlaminar locations. Such delaminations have been modelled using the sublaminate technique. The critical issues of modelling pre-embedded delamination damages are discussed in detail. The numerical results presented in this paper are based on the validated FE model compared with the available literature. Based on the present analyses, the structural design recommendations have been made for the SLJ when pre-embedded delamination damages are present in both the adherends. It is observed from the stress based design that the delamination damage when present in the bottom adherend is more detrimental for failure of SLJ compared to that for the case when it is present in the top adherend. Also, SERR based design reveals that the opening mode predominantly governs the propagation of delamination damage for all positions of the pre-embedded delaminations in both the adherends of the SLJ.