Experimental and numerical failure analysis of aluminium/composite single-L joints

Adhesive bonding is frequently used to manufacture complex-shaped structures. Fibre-reinforced composite materials are extensively used in many industries, such as boat building, automotive and aeronautical. Although the manufacturing methods reduce the connections to the minimum, these are still necessary due to component size and design, technological and logistical limitations. Frequently, the combination of composites with metals such as aluminium or titanium brings design benefits. This work aims to study, by experimentation and cohesive zone modelling (CZM), single-L adhesive joints between aluminium components and carbon-epoxy composites under a peel loading, considering different joint configurations and adhesives of distinct ductility. The addressed geometric parameter is the L-part thickness (tP2). The numerical analysis included the stress distributions, damage evolution, strength and failure modes. The experimental tests validated the numerical results and provided design guidelines for single-L joints. It was shown that the L-part geometry and adhesive type highly influence the joints׳ strength.