Fabrication Of Adhesively-Bonded CFRP T-Joints For Stiffener Pull-Off Tests

Cardoso, João; Nunes-Pereira, João; Silva, Abilio

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.6/14086

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Authors

Cardoso, João

Nunes-Pereira, João

Silva, Abilio

Abstract(s)

Adhesively bonded joints have been increasingly applied in primary aerostructures, mainly due to their numerous advantages over riveted or fastened joints. More specifically, bonded T-joints made from carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are commonly found as stiffening members (stiffeners, or stringers) on wing panels and fuselage sections. However, aluminium stiffeners can yet be considered a safer and more conservative solution, since composite T-joints face delamination problems that typically initiate at the central noodle of the stiffener - the part where the three arms of the stiffener come together. In order to better comprehend the failure mechanisms and sequence of these joints, Stiffener-Pull- Off Tests (SPOT) were experimentally conducted on a two CFRP adherends (SEAL® Texipreg HS 160 REM) - skin and stiffener - adhesively bonded with a structural film adhesive (EA451 U150). These specimens were fabricated following a novel fabrication plan, which left open the possibility of re-engineering the noodle region with the scope of increasing the through-thickness strength of the bonded joint. This can be achieved by eliminating the problem of the twisted fibres at the noodle that occur during the cure stage when no filler material is used.