FATIGUE STRENGTH OF ADHESIVE BONDED FRP JOINTS

Abstract

Fibre Reinforced Plastics(FRP) are attaining wide usage in engineering applications. To get the desired shape of - components in certain applications such as in automotive or aircraft industry, the joints of fibre reinforced plastics are made by adhesively bonding two or more parts together. This work gives a review of various joining -methods for fibre reinforced plastics. The emphasis has been laid on adhesive bonded fibre reinforced plastic joints only. The fatigue -strength -of.- adhesive bonded fibre reinforced -plastic_ joint using Araldite as adhesive has been investigated. Axial fatigue tests were carried out on - adhesive bonded- specimens -for different adhesive thickness ranges. S-N Curves are obtained for three adhesive thickness ranges varying from o.12 mm to 0.37 mm. The results show that the fatigue strength increases initially as the adhesive thickness is increased and then decreases. Failure of the joint occures due to interfacial shear between adherend and adhesive surface