Adhesive joint strength of hybrid assemblies: Titanium sheet-composites and aluminium sheet-composites-Experimental and numerical verification

This article presents the results of the testing of adhesive joint strength of hybrid assemblies consisting of different materials and joints of the same materials. Both experimental testing and numerical FEM analysis of the joints were applied. This type of joint can be found in the aviation industry, for example, where the use of composites as construction materials, including polymer composites with epoxy matrix, is becoming increasingly popular. One frequently used joint type in the aviation industry is the adhesive joint. The literature generally refers to adhesive joints made from the same materials while there is little information on adhesive joints using materials with different geometries and properties (mechanical, physical and chemical), therefore it would be useful to evaluate joint strengths both experimentally and numerically in terms of joint behaviour under various types of load. This paper compares experimental data obtained through numerical analysis for adhesive joints made of titanium sheet, aluminium sheet and aramid-epoxy composite using a number of different joint assemblies. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.