Paper number 411

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF FATIGUE BEHAVIOUR IN COMPOSITE BOLTED JOINTS

Roman Starikov1 and Joakim Schön2

1Department of Aeronautics, Royal Institute of Technology
SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
2Structures Department, The Aeronautical Research Institute of Sweden
Box 11021, S-161 11 Bromma, Sweden

Summary This paper presents an experimental investigation of fatigue behaviour in composite joints. Composite plates were bolted by six fasteners made of titanium or composite material. The specimens were subjected to fatigue loading with stress ratio, R=(1. Several methods of measurement were used to investigate the fatigue behaviour. Strain-gauge measurements were done to analyse strain distribution and load transfer between bolt rows. An extensiometer was used to observe bolt-movement mechanisms. The fatigue behaviour of specimens with titanium fasteners has shown that they have excellent fatigue-resistance properties. Fatigue analysis determined that specimen failure was generally due to bolt failure. The bolt movement was found to increase measurably throughout the fatigue life. Strain-gauge measurements have shown that the different bolt rows transfer not the same amount of applied load due to fatigue degradation at the bolt rows.
Keywords bolted joints, fatigue, strain, load transfer, bolt movement.

Theme : Mechanical and Physical Properties ; Fatigue

[ HOME ]  [ BACK ]