Mechanical performance of hybrid double- and step-lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures: An experimental and numerical approach
Hybrid joints, combining adhesive bonding with mechanical fasteners, address the limitations of traditional joining methods in restoring the integrity of aircraft structures. This study evaluates the static strength of double- and step-lap joint configurations, representing repairs in thin and thick...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Composites Part C: Open Access |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682024001233 |
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| author | Amir Ekladious John Wang Nabil Chowdhury Wing Kong Chiu |
| author_facet | Amir Ekladious John Wang Nabil Chowdhury Wing Kong Chiu |
| author_sort | Amir Ekladious |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hybrid joints, combining adhesive bonding with mechanical fasteners, address the limitations of traditional joining methods in restoring the integrity of aircraft structures. This study evaluates the static strength of double- and step-lap joint configurations, representing repairs in thin and thick metallic aircraft structures, through experimental testing and finite element analysis. Aerospace-grade 7075-T6 aluminium alloy was used for the adherends, with film adhesives and fasteners arranged in typical airframe patterns. The three-dimensional finite element (FE) models incorporated non-linear adhesive properties, fastener preload, contact interactions, and frictional forces. The FE results aligned well with experimental findings, capturing key failure modes and load distributions. Hybrid double-lap joints exhibited strength comparable to bonded joints while mitigating their brittle failures through fasteners that provided additional load-bearing capacity. In thicker step-lap joints, the hybrid configuration nearly restored the parent material’s inherent stiffness, with a moderate strength reduction due to the reduced bond area from the bolt holes, while enhancing elongation capabilities and resistance to localised stress concentrations. Stress analyses highlighted a transition from adhesive-dominated to fastener-dominated load transfer under high loads, demonstrating key interplay between adhesive and mechanical fasteners in hybrid joints. This study presents part of a systematic assessment of the mechanical performance and damage tolerance of the hybrid joining technique, compared with adhesively bonded and mechanically fastened methods, in metallic aircraft structures. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-73b3ee689964454eaffb8ca78955fa3c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-6820 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Composites Part C: Open Access |
| spelling | doaj-art-73b3ee689964454eaffb8ca78955fa3c2025-01-09T06:14:48ZengElsevierComposites Part C: Open Access2666-68202025-03-0116100554Mechanical performance of hybrid double- and step-lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures: An experimental and numerical approachAmir Ekladious0John Wang1Nabil Chowdhury2Wing Kong Chiu3Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia; Corresponding author.Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, Australia; Platforms Division, Defence Science and Technology Group, 506 Lorimer Street, Fishermans Bend, 3207, Victoria, AustraliaDepartment of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, AustraliaDepartment of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168, Victoria, AustraliaHybrid joints, combining adhesive bonding with mechanical fasteners, address the limitations of traditional joining methods in restoring the integrity of aircraft structures. This study evaluates the static strength of double- and step-lap joint configurations, representing repairs in thin and thick metallic aircraft structures, through experimental testing and finite element analysis. Aerospace-grade 7075-T6 aluminium alloy was used for the adherends, with film adhesives and fasteners arranged in typical airframe patterns. The three-dimensional finite element (FE) models incorporated non-linear adhesive properties, fastener preload, contact interactions, and frictional forces. The FE results aligned well with experimental findings, capturing key failure modes and load distributions. Hybrid double-lap joints exhibited strength comparable to bonded joints while mitigating their brittle failures through fasteners that provided additional load-bearing capacity. In thicker step-lap joints, the hybrid configuration nearly restored the parent material’s inherent stiffness, with a moderate strength reduction due to the reduced bond area from the bolt holes, while enhancing elongation capabilities and resistance to localised stress concentrations. Stress analyses highlighted a transition from adhesive-dominated to fastener-dominated load transfer under high loads, demonstrating key interplay between adhesive and mechanical fasteners in hybrid joints. This study presents part of a systematic assessment of the mechanical performance and damage tolerance of the hybrid joining technique, compared with adhesively bonded and mechanically fastened methods, in metallic aircraft structures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682024001233Double-lap jointsStep-lap jointsAdhesive jointsHybrid jointsStatic strengthFinite element analysis |
| spellingShingle | Amir Ekladious John Wang Nabil Chowdhury Wing Kong Chiu Mechanical performance of hybrid double- and step-lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures: An experimental and numerical approach Composites Part C: Open Access Double-lap joints Step-lap joints Adhesive joints Hybrid joints Static strength Finite element analysis |
| title | Mechanical performance of hybrid double- and step-lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures: An experimental and numerical approach |
| title_full | Mechanical performance of hybrid double- and step-lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures: An experimental and numerical approach |
| title_fullStr | Mechanical performance of hybrid double- and step-lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures: An experimental and numerical approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanical performance of hybrid double- and step-lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures: An experimental and numerical approach |
| title_short | Mechanical performance of hybrid double- and step-lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures: An experimental and numerical approach |
| title_sort | mechanical performance of hybrid double and step lap joints in primary metallic aircraft structures an experimental and numerical approach |
| topic | Double-lap joints Step-lap joints Adhesive joints Hybrid joints Static strength Finite element analysis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682024001233 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT amirekladious mechanicalperformanceofhybriddoubleandsteplapjointsinprimarymetallicaircraftstructuresanexperimentalandnumericalapproach AT johnwang mechanicalperformanceofhybriddoubleandsteplapjointsinprimarymetallicaircraftstructuresanexperimentalandnumericalapproach AT nabilchowdhury mechanicalperformanceofhybriddoubleandsteplapjointsinprimarymetallicaircraftstructuresanexperimentalandnumericalapproach AT wingkongchiu mechanicalperformanceofhybriddoubleandsteplapjointsinprimarymetallicaircraftstructuresanexperimentalandnumericalapproach |