Adhesive bonding of fibre reinforced polymer composite materials Available to Purchase

Fibre reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) are finding increasing usage in many industrial sectors. Adhesive bonding is often the most attractive joining technique for these materials in terms of structural efficiency and cost of manufacture. However, concerns regarding the lack of reliable design methods, the long term ageing behaviour and the difficulties in non‐destructive evaluation and repair of bonded joints has led to a reluctance to use adhesives in primary structures. DERA has been involved in the assessment of adhesive bonding for joining FRPs for many years. This paper focuses on investigations at DERA into the effects that environment and fatigue loading have on the performance of bonded composite joints, and briefly reviews current approaches to strength and lifetime prediction. It is seen that adhesively bonded composite joints can be significantly affected by the service environment, however, this is highly dependent on the joint type and materials involved.