Experimental and Numerical Study on Mechanical Properties of Z-pins Reinforced Composites Adhesively Bonded Single-Lap Joints

The mechanical properties of Z-pins reinforced composites adhesively bonded single-lap joints(SLJs)under un-directional tension loading are investigated by experimental and numerical methods.Three kinds of joint configurations,including SLJs with three/two rows of Z-pins and“I”array of Z-pins,are investigated by tension test.The failure modes and mechanism of reinforced joints with different Z-pins numbers and alignment are analyzed,and the comparison is performed for the failure strengths of no Z-pins and Z-pins reinforced joints.According to experimental results,failure modes of three kinds of joints are all mixed failure.It turns out that the Z-pins are pulled out ultimately.The strength of joints of more Z-pins at the end of the overlap area is relatively bigger for the joint of the same Z-pins numbers.The strength of joints with Z-pins compared with non Z-pins joints is growing at 16%.Finally,the three-dimensional distribution of interfacial stress in the lap zone of three kinds of Z-pins reinforced joints is simulated,and the numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental results.It is effective that the numerical calculation of stress analysis is verified.

Effect of joining temperature on microstructure and properties of diffusion bonded Mg/Al joints

The joining of AZ31B Mg alloy to 6061 Al alloy was investigated at different joining temperatures by vacuum diffusion bonding method. The microstructures of Mg/Al dissimilar joints were studied by means of optical microscopy （OM）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy dispersive X-ray （EDX）. The results show that the thickness of each layer in the diffusion zone increases with the increase of joining temperature, and the microstructure changes obviously. At joining temperature of 440 °C, the diffusion zone is composed of Mg2Al3 layer and Mg17Al12 layer. At joining temperatures of 460 and 480 °C, the diffusion zone is composed of Mg2Al3 layer, Mg17Al12 layer, eutectic layer of Mg17Al12 and Mg-based solid solution. The width of high-hardness zone in the joint increases with increasing joining temperature, and the micro-hardnesses at different locations in the diffusion zone are significantly different. The joining temperature of 440 °C offers the highest tensile strength of 37 MPa, and the corresponding joint exhibits brittle fracture at the intermetallic compound layer of Mg17Al12.

Damage Failure Analysis of Z-Pins Reinforced Composite Adhesively Bonded Single-Lap Joint

In order to study themechanical properties of Z-pins reinforced laminated composite single-lap adhesively bonded joint under un-directional static tensile load,damage failure analysis of the joint was carried out bymeans of test and numerical simulation.The failure mode and mechanism of the joint were analyzed by tensile failure experiments.According to the experimental results,the joint exhibits mixed failure,and the ultimate failure is Z-pins pulling out of the adherend.In order to study the failure mechanism of the joint,the finite element method is used to predict the failure strength.The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental results,and the error is 6.0%,which proves the validity of the numerical model.Through progressive damage failure analysis,it is found that matrix tensile failure of laminate at the edge of Z-pins occurs first,then adhesive layer failure-proceeds at the edge of Z-pins,and finally matrix-fiber shear failure of the laminate takes place.With the increase of load,the matrix-fiber shear failure expands gradually in the X direction,and at the same time,the matrix tensile failure at the hole edge gradually extends in different directions,which is consistent with the experimental results.

Determination of key parameters of Al–Li alloy adhesively bonded joints using cohesive zone model

The key parameters of the adhesive layer of a reinforcing patch are of great significance and affect the ability to suppress crack propagation in an Al–Li alloy patch-reinforced structure.This paper proposes a method to determine the key parameters of the adhesive layer of adhesively bonded joints in the Al–Li alloy patch-reinforced structure.A zero-thickness cohesive zone model(CZM)was selected to simulate the adhesive layer’s fracture process,and an orthogonal simulation was designed to compare against the test results.A three-dimensional progressive damage model of an Al–Li alloy patch-reinforced structure with single-lap adhesively bonded joints was developed.The simulation’s results closely agree with the test results,demonstrating that this method of determining the key parameters is likely accurate.The results also verify the correctness of the cohesive strength and fracture energy,the two key parameters of the cohesive zone model.The model can accurately predict the strength and fracture process of adhesively bonded joints,and can be used in research to suppress crack propagation in Al–Li alloy patch-reinforced structures.

Quality Evaluation of Diffusion Bonded Joints by Electrical Resistance Measuring and Microscopic Fatigue Testing

Micro-structure related behavior of diffusion bonding joints is a crucial issue in device and reactor fabrication of Micro Chemo Mechanical Systems.However,the previous studies have been focused on the macro mechanical performance of diffusion bonded joint,especially diffusion bonding conditions effects on tensile strength,shearing strength and fatigue strength.The research of interfacial micro-voids and microstructures evolution for failure mechanism has not been carried out for diffusion-bonded joints.An interfacial electrical resistance measuring method is proposed to evaluate the quality of bonded joints and verified by using two-dimensional finite-element simulation.The influences of micro void geometry on increments of resistance are analyzed and the relationship between bonded area fraction and resistance increment is established by theoretical analysis combined with simulated results.Metallographic inspections and micro-hardness testing are conducted near the interface of diffusion bonded joints.For the purpose of identifying the failure mechanisms of the joints,both microscopic tensile and fatigue tests are conducted on the self-developed in-situ microscopic fatigue testing system.Based on the microscopic observations,the mechanism of interfacial failure is addressed.The observation result shows that for 316LSS diffusion-bonded joints,microstructure evolution and effect of micro-voids play a key role in interfacial failure mechanism.Finally,a new life prediction model in terms of the increment of electrical resistance is developed and confirmed by the experimental results.The proposed study is initiated that constituted a primary interfacial failure mechanism on micron scale and provide the life prediction for reliability of components sealed by diffusion bonding.

Effect of operating temperature on aged single lap bonded joints

In recent decades,designers have increasingly focused on the stability of assemblies in composite materials over time,particularly when used in structural applications.The use of structural adhesives allows for realising assemblies without mechanical fasteners.In fact,bonding is an assembly technique that prevent corrosion,ensures uniform stresses in the joint,and grows the specific resistance of the assembly.The knowledge of the behaviour of bonded joint is necessary to ensure the reliability of this technique over time,especially in aggressive environments.The aim of this wo rk consists in investigating the combined effect of hydrothermal ageing and temperature test on the lap shear strength of single lap joints realised in CFRP.The results showed a higher influence of the ageing on paste adhesive compared to film adhesive.However,the ageing,combined with the operating temperature,played a fundamental role on the shear strength of the bonded joints.

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis and Optimum Design of Spot-Welded Joints and Weld-Bonded Joints

Resistance spot welding and hybrid weld bonding have wide applications in the body work construction within the automobile industry. The integrity of the spot welds and applied adhesives determines the body assembly rigidity and dynamic performance. Incorporating contact nonlinearity and geometric nonlinearity, finite element analysis (FEA) have been carried out to investigate the structural stiffness and strength of both spot-welded and weld-bonded assemblies. Topology optimization has been performed to reveal the distributions of material effectiveness in the overlap regions and suggest a feasible method for removing underutilized material for weight reduction. Design optimization has been conducted with an aim to reduce the maximum von Mises stress in the assembly to minimum by choosing optimum values for a set of design variables, including the weld spacing, weld diameter and overlap width.

Effect of intermetallic compounds on heat resistance of hot roll bonded titanium alloy-stainless steel transition joint

The effect of intermetallic compounds on the heat resistance of transition joint was investigated. The experiment of post-weld heat treatment for the hot roll bonded titanium alloy-stainless steel joint using nickels interlayer was carried out, and the interface microstructure evolution due to heat treatment was presented. There was not found significant interdiffusion at stainless steel/nickel interface, when the specimens were heat treated in the temperature range of 600-800 °C for 10 and 30 min, while micro-cracks occurred at the stainless steel/nickel interface heat treated at 700 °C for 30 min. The thickness of intermetallic layers at nickel/titanium alloy interface increased at 600 °C, and micro-cracks occurred at 700 and 800 °C. The micro-cracks occurred between intermetallic layers or between intermetallic layer and nickel interlayer as well. The tensile strength of the transition joint decreased with the increase of heat treatment temperature or holding time.

Comeld^TM Joints: A Novel Technique for Bonding Composites and Metal

Current and future structural applications for composite laminates frequently involve design solutions combining composite laminates and metal; the materials must be joined. Two conventional means of joining are available mechanical joining and adhesive bonding. Both methods have critical disadvantages. A novel surface treatment for metals developed at TWI, Surfi-Sculpt, leads to the formation of surface protrusions on metal surfaces. These protrusions are typically 1.0 mm high and 0.6 mm in diameter. The surface modified metal can be bonded with composite laminates to form a Comeld～TM joint. These joints can be described as a combination of mechanical fastening and adhesive bonding. This paper describes our current work using finite element modelling to optimize the protrusions in respect to their geometry and distribution. The simulations require multi-scale modelling techniques to transfer results between the global model of the whole joint and the unit cell models containing a protrusion. Results from the simulations show critical effects on stress distributions arising from changing protrusion geometry. These joints show significant advantages over conventional adhesive joining technologies and their application would allow improved performance for combinations of metal and composite laminates.

Interfacial structure and mechanical property of Mg/Al alloy joint diffusion bonded with Zn interlayer metal

The characteristics of microstructure and mechanical strength of the Mg/Al alloy joint diffusion bonded with a Zn interlayer were studied by means of metalloscopy,X-ray diffraction(XRD),electron probe microanalysis(EPMA) and mechanical property test.Investigations showed that the Mg/Al alloy joint diffusion bonded with Zn interlayer consists of a multilayer sandwich structure,including the transition zone on Al side,Zn and Zn-Mg transition zone,as well as the transition zone on Mg side.The transition zone on Al side is very thin and composed mainly of a solid solution structure,while the Zn-Mg transition zone has a relative larger dimension after a rapid eutectic reaction.The addition of zinc interlayer inhibits the inter-diffusion of Mg and Al alloy efficiently.The Zn-Mg transition zone constitutes the main part of the joint and consists of Mg crystals and the new phase formed is MgZn intermetallic compound.The mechanical strength of Mg/Al alloy joints diffusion bonded with Zn interlayer reached 42 MPa.According to the phase constitution analyses executed on each side of the fracture face,it was deduced that the fracture of Mg/Al alloy joint located around the interface of Zn and Zn-Mg transition zone.

Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V/Al7050 joints fabricated using the insert molding method

Ti-6Al-4V/Al7050 joints were fabricated by a method of insert molding and corresponding interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. The interfacial thickness was sensitive to holding temperature during the first stage, and a good metallurgical bonding interface with a thickness of about 90 μm can be obtained at 750°C. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and thermodynamic analyses showed that the interface mainly contained intermetallic compound TiAl_3 and Al matrix. The joints featured good mechanical properties, i.e., shear strength of 154 MPa, tensile strength of 215 MPa, and compressive strength of 283 MPa, which are superior to those of joints fabricated by other methods. Coherent boundaries between Al/TiAl_3 and TiAl_3/Ti were confirmed to contribute to outstanding interfacial mechanical properties and also explained constant fracture occurrence in the Al matrix. Follow-up studies should focus on improving mechanical properties of the Al matrix by deformation and heat treatment.

Study on ASTM Shear-loaded Adhesive Lap Joints

Finite element analyses and experiments are conducted to analyze the mechanical behavior of ASTM shear-loaded adhesive lap joints. Adhesive is characterized for the stress-strain relation by comparing the apparent shear-strain relations obtained from finite element analysis and experiments following ASTM D 5656 Standard. With the established stress-strain relation, two failure criteria using equivalent plastic strain and J-integral are adopted to predict the failure loads for joint specimens following ASTM D 5656 and ASTM D 3165 Standard, respectively. Good correlation is found between the finite element results and the experimental results. The strength of ASTM D 3165 specimens with debonding defects is also studied. Calculation results shows that experiment data following the standards provide only relative material constants, such as apparent shear modulus and strengths. Further investigation is required to find out the engineering properties needed for actual joint design. For the specimens with debonding defects, the locations of defects have great effects on their load bearing ability.

Transient liquid phase bonding of DD5 superalloy using a designed interlayer: microstructure and mechanical properties

Nickel based single crystal superalloy is currently widely used as the material for turbine blades in aerospace engines.However,metallurgical defects during the manufacturing process and damage during harsh environmental service are inevitable challenges for turbine blades.Therefore,bonding techniques play a very important role in the manufacturing and repair of turbine blades.The transient liquid phase(TLP)bonding of DD5 Ni-based single crystal superalloy was performed using the designed H1 interlayer.A new third-generation Ni-based superalloy T1 powder was mixed with H1 powder as another interlayer to improve the mechanical properties of the bonded joints.The res-ults show that,such a designed H1 interlayer is beneficial to the improvement of shear strength of DD5 alloy bonded joints by adjusting the bonding temperature and the prolongation of holding time.The maximum shear strength at room temperature of the joint with H1 interlayer reached 681 MPa when bonded at 1260℃for 3 h.The addition of T1 powder can effectively reduce holding time or relatively lower bond-ing temperature,while maintaining relatively high shear strength.When 1 wt.%T1 powder was mixed into H1 interlayer,the maximum room temperature shear strength of the joint bonded at 1260℃reached 641 MPa,which could be obtained for only 1 h.Considering the bonding temperature and the efficiency,the acceptable process parameter of H1+5 wt.%T1 interlayer was 1240℃/2 h,and the room tem-perature shear strength reached 613 MPa.

Seepage Mitigation in Hydropower Dams by Optimization in Roller Compacted Concrete Interlayer (Monoliths) Joint Bonding Technology

Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) has gained favorable recognition in hydropower and water resource dam construction. With optimization in construction technology and materials used for RCC Dams, cost is no longer a major disadvantage as compared to environmental impact, that is, wildlife habitat disruption. In as much as it has become optimal for investment in hydropower dam construction, the scourge for dam failure is still eminent, which is as a result of excessive seepage compromising the integrity of the mechanical properties of the dam. The aim of the paper is to highlight successful application methods in joint bonding to avoid excessive seepage and reduce the autogenous healing to a few years of operation. In view of optimization, this paper presents a comprehensive study on the influences of interlayer joints bonding quality from RCC mix performances and how it consolidates the RCC layers to withstand the shear strength along the interface, especially on the high dams. The case study is the RCC dam at the 750 MW Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Station. The scope of the study reviews the joint type judged by Modified Maturity Factor (MMF) with joint surface long time exposed in regions with dry and high temperature, technical measures of layer bonding quality control under condition of long time joint surface exposure, effects of joints shear strength and impermeability of the RCC layers when under the conditions of plastic and elasticity. The subtle observations made during the dam construction phases were with respect to the optimal use of materials in relation to RCC mix designs and the basis for equipment calibration for monitoring important data that can be referenced during analysis of shear forces acting on the RCC dam over time.

Time-dependent effects in transient liquid phase bonding of 304L and Cp-Ti using an Ag-Cu interlayer

One of the challenges for bimetal manufacturing is the joining process.Hence,transient liquid phase(TLP)bonding was performed between 304L stainless steel and Cp-Ti using an Ag-Cu interlayer with a thickness of 75μm for bonding time of 20,40,60,and 90 min.The bonding temperature of 860℃ was considered,which is under the β transus temperature of Cp-Ti.During TLP bonding,various intermetallic compounds(IMCs),including Ti_(5)Cr_(7)Fe_(17),(Cr,Fe)_(2)Ti,Ti(Cu,Fe),Ti_(2)(Cu,Ag),and Ti_(2)Cu from 304L toward Cp-Ti formed in the joint.Also,on the one side,with the increase in time,further diffusion of elements decreases the blocky IMCs such as Ti_(5)Cr_(7)Fe_(17),(Cr,Fe)_(2)Ti,Ti(Cu,Fe)in the 304L diffusion-affected zone(DAZ)and reaction zone,and on the other side,Ti_(2)(Cu,Ag)IMC transformed into fine morphology toward Cp-Ti DAZ.The microhardness test also demonstrated that the(Cr,Fe)_(2)Ti+Ti_(5)Cr_(7)Fe_(17) IMCs in the DAZ on the side of 304L have a hardness value of HV 564,making it the hardest phase.The maximum and minimum shear strength values are equal to 78.84 and 29.0 MPa,respectively.The cleavage pattern dominated fracture surfaces due to the formation of brittle phases in dissimilar joints.

Predicting fatigue life of automotive adhesive bonded joints:a data-driven approach using combined experimental and numerical datasets

The majority of vehicle structural failures originate from joint areas.Cyclic loading is one of the primary factors in joint failures,making the fatigue performance of joints a critical consideration in vehicle structure design.The use of traditional fatigue analysis methods is constrained by the absence of adhesive life data and the wide variety of joint geometries.Therefore,there is a pressing need for an accurate fatigue life estimation method for the joints in the automotive industry.In this work,we proposed a data-driven approach embedding physical knowledge-guided parameters based on experimental data and finite element analysis(FEA)results.Different machine learning(ML)algorithms are adopted to investigate the fatigue life of three typical adhesive joints,namely lap shear,coach peel and KSII joints.After the feature engineering and tuned process of the ML models,the preferable model using the Gaussian process regression algorithm is established,fed with eight input parameters,namely thicknesses of the substrates,line forces and bending moments of the adhesive bonded joints obtained from FEA.The proposed method is validated with the test data set and part-level physical tests with complex loading states for an unbiased evaluation.It demonstrates that for life prediction of adhesive joints,the data-driven solutions can constitute an improvement over conventional solutions.

Static and Fatigue Behavior of Hybrid Bonded/Bolted Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Joints Under Tensile Loading

This paper presents the static and fatigue tests of hybrid(bonded/bolted)glass fiber reinforced polymer(GFRP)joints.Nine specimens of single-lap hybrid GFRP joints have been fabricated to study the static and fatigue behaviors in the experimental campaign.The static tests of uniaxial tension loading are first conducted,from which the static ultimate bearing capacities of the joints are obtained.High-cycle fatigue tests are subsequently carried out so that the fatigue failure mode,fatigue life,and stiffness degradation of joints can be obtained.The measuring techniques including acoustic emission monitoring and three-dimensional digital image correlation have been employed in the tests to record the damage development process.The results revealed that the static strength and fatigue behavior of such thick hybrid GFRP joints were controlled by the bolted connections.The four stages of fatigue failure process are obtained from tests and acoustic emission signals analysis:cumulative damage of adhesive layer,damage of the adhesive layer,cumulative damage of GFRP plate,and damage of GFRP plate.The fatigue life and stiffness degradation can be improved by more bolts.The S-N(fatigue stress versus life)curves for the fatigue design of the single-lap hybrid GFRP joints under uniaxial tension loading are also proposed.

Transient liquid phase diffusion bonding of a single crystal superalloy DD6

DD6 alloy was bonded by transient liquid phase (TLP) diffusion bonding. The main compositions of the interlayer alloy employed were similar to those of the base metal, DD6, and a certain amount of element B was added as the melting point depressant. The results show that it is difficult to obtain the joints with the microstructures completely homogeneous. For the joint TLP diffusion bonded at 1290℃ for 12h, about half areas of the beam possessed a γ+γ′ microstructure, nearly identical with that of the base metal, and the other local areas consisted of γ-solution, borides, etc. Prolonging the bonding time to 24h, the inhomogeneous areas in the joint reduced, and the joint property improved. The joint stress-rupture strength at 980℃ and 1100℃ reached 90%-100% and 70%-80% of those of the base metal respectively.

Influence of Shim Layers on Progressive Failure of a Composite Componentin Composite-Aluminum Bolted Joint in Aerospace Structural Assembly

The influence of varying shim layers on the progressive damage/failure of a composite component in a bolted composite-aluminum aerospace structural assembly was investigated using a non-linear three-dimensional(3 D)structural solid elements assembled model of a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer(CFRP)-aluminum single-lap joint with a titanium(Ti-6 Al-4 V)fastener and a washer generated with the commercial finite element(FE)software package,ABAQUS/Standard.A progressive failure algorithm written in Fortran code with a set of appropriate degradation rules was incorporated as a user subroutine in ABAQUS to simulate the non-linear damage behavior of the composite component in the composite-aluminum bolted aerospace structure.The assembled 3 DFE model simulated,as well as the specimen for the experimental testing consisted of a carbon-epoxy IMS-977-2 substrate,aluminum alloy 7075-T651 substrate,liquid shim(Hysol EA 9394),solid peelable fiberglass shim,a titanium fastener,and a washer.In distinction to previous investigations,the influence of shim layers(liquid shim and solid peelable fiberglass shim)inserted in-between the faying surfaces(CFRP and aluminum alloy substrates)were investigated by both numerical simulations and experimental work.The simulated model and test specimens conformed to the standard test configurations for both civil and military standards.The numerical simulations correlated well with the experimental results and it has been found that:(1)The shimming procedure as agreed upon by the aerospace industry for the resolution of assembly gaps in bolted joints for composite materials is the same for a composite-aluminum structure;liquid shim series(0.3,0.5 and 0.7 mm thicknesses)prolonged the service life of the composite component whereas a solid peelable fiberglass shim most definitely had a better influence on the 0.9 assembly gap compared with the liquid shim;(2)The shim layers considerably influenced the structural strength of the composite component by delaying its ultimate failure thereby increasing its service life;and(3)Increasing the shim layer′s thickness led to a significant corresponding effect on the stiffness but with minimal effect on the ultimate load.