A study of the damage tolerance of composite-metal hybrid joints reinforced by multiple and penetrative thin pins

The application of adhesive bonding technology in aircraft structures can reduce the total wight greatly, but bonded joints are very sensitive to possible manufacturing defects and damages during service operations, which makes them difficult meet damage tolerance requirements current transport airplane structures. In this study, composite-metal hybrid reinforced by multiple penetrative thin pins was studied. performance joint is supposed be enhanced through-the-thickness reinforcements region, were together with both composite metallic plates. Both experimental tests finite element simulations conducted investigate effects on without pre-fabricated disbond defects. Through comparative analyses, it found that region significantly improved static load carrying capacity, failure strain, fracture energy, fatigue lives joints. Moreover, decreased sensitivity region. adhesively increased enhancement mechanism revealed combined analysis test results simulation results.