• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.531-539
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• 2017

This paper deals with the development of bonded joints for fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) hull structures using moulding-in concept. Focus is placed on bonded in-plane connections between two adjacent panels that could form the boundaries of hull structural module. Traditional construction in FRP hull structures requires the construction of a mould, usually from steel or aluminium. In this construction the FRP materials are laid in the mould, and resin is saturated, and then the structural member is cured. This is expensive since it involves the fabrication of metal hull mould for every different hull type, which is sacrificed after the production of the FRP ship. One way of encouraging greater use of FRP in ship construction is to investigate the possible construction of FRP hull structures in a similar manner to metallic ships, that is in terms of blocks or modules. Such a manner of construction would eliminate the need for expensive hull moulds permitting greater flexibility in the construction of FRP ships. The main issue then would be the design and construction of adequate bonded connections between adjacent panels. To fulfill this object, the simplified and automated way of manufacturing joint edge shapes for bonded joints is developed, and their structural assessment is performed in both experimentally and numerically.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2023

Any pre-existed delamination defect present during manufacturing or induce during service loading conditions in the wingskin adherend invariably shows a greater loss of structural integrity of the spar wingskin joint (SWJ). In the present study, inter-laminar delamination propagation at the critical location of the SWJ has been carried out using contact and multi-point constraint finite elements available with commercial FE software (ANSYS APDL). Strain energy release rates (SERR) based on virtual crack closure technique have been computed for evaluation of the opening (Mode-I), sliding (Mode-II) and cross sliding (Mode-III) modes of delamination by sequential release of multi point constraint elements. The variations of different modes of SERR are observed to be significant by considering varied delamination lengths, material properties of adherends and radius of curvature of the SWJ panel. The SERR rates are seen to be much different at the two pre-embedded delamination ends. This shows dissimilar delamination propagation rates. The maximum is seen to occur in the delamination front in the unstiffened region of the wingskin. The curvature geometry and material anisotropy of SWJ adherends significantly influences the SERR values. Increase in the SERR values are observed with decrease in the radius of curvature of wingskin panel, keeping its width unchanged. SWJs made with flat FRP composite adherends have superior resistance to delamination damage propagation than curved composite laminated SWJ panels. SWJ made with Boron/Epoxy (B/E) material shows greater resistance to the delamination propagation.