Static strength of a composite butt joint configuration with different attachments

The static failure behaviour of a composite single-strap joint configuration using three different attachments was studied experimentally. The attachments used were: adhesive bonding; mechanical bolting; and bonded-bolted joining. The dimensions of the composite butt joint used were determined based on actual joint configurations in aircraft structures, such that the test results would be beneficial to both the academic exploration and practical engineering application for advanced composite joint design and analysis. A damage evolution process was presented for the bonded-bolted butt joints based on the observed stress versus displacement curves and associated failure modes from all the related butt joints with the three attachments. An approach was then proposed for estimating the ultimate tensile strength in the bonded-bolted joints.