Paper number 558

THERMOELASTIC ANALYSIS OF SANDWICH CONSTRUCTION TEE-JOINTS LOADED IN COMPRESSION

J M Dulieu-Barton1, J S Grigg2, R A Shenoi2, S D Clark2, and A R Chambers2

1University of Liverpool, Department of Engineering, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GH
2University of Southampton, School of Engineering Science, Highfield,
Southampton, SO17 1BJ

Summary This paper describes experimental work carried out on a variety of sandwich construction tee-joint configurations loaded in compression. The effect of varying the thickness of the laminate that strengthens the joint connection (the boundary angle overlaminate) and the use of a fillet at the connection are examined. Thermoelastic stress analysis is used to determine the stress distribution in the tee-joints by means of the SPATE system. Procedures for calibrating the thermoelastic data are described. The maximum stress values are identified in each of the tee-joint constituents, these are compared with the failure stresses and the implications are discussed in detail. To illustrate the potential of the technique one set of results is compared to finite element data for a joint of the same construction.
Keywords Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA), SPATE, sandwich materials, foam construction, tee-joints.

Theme : Composite Structures ; Modelling

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