Abstract
This paper reports an experimental study on the use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets to strengthen non-load-carrying cruciform welded joints subjected to fatigue loading. Failure modes and corresponding fatigue lives were recorded during tests. Scatter of test results was observed. Thereafter, a series of numerical analyses were performed to study the effects of weld toe radius, the number of CFRP layers and Young's modulus of reinforced materials on local stress concentration at a weld toe. It was found that fatigue life of such welded connections can be enhanced because of the reduction of stress concentration caused by CFRP strengthening. Parametric study indicates that the weld toe radius and the amount of CFRP are the key parameters influencing the stress concentration factors and stress ranges of the joint. Enhancement of modulus for adhesive and CFRP sheets can also be beneficial to the fatigue performance to some extent.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 179-194 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- CFRP
- fatigue
- non-load-carrying cruciform welded joint
- strengthening
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Building and Construction
- Aerospace Engineering
- Ocean Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Applied Mathematics