Knowledge of the size effect on the strength of hybrid bimaterial joints of steel and fiber composites is important for new designs of large lightweight ships, large fuel-efficient aircrafts, and lightweight crashworthy automobiles. Three series of scaled geometrically similar specimens of symmetric double-lap joints with a rather broad size range (1:12) are manufactured. The specimens are tested to failure under tensile displacement-controlled loading, and at rates that ensure the peak load to be reached within approximately the same time. Two series, in which the laminate is fiberglass G-10/FR4, are tested at Northwestern University, and the third series, in which the laminate consists of NCT 301 carbon fibers, is tested at the University of Michigan. Except for the smallest specimens in test series I, all the specimens fail by propagation of interface fracture initiating at the bimaterial corner. All the specimens fail dynamically right after reaching the maximum load. This observation confirms high brittleness of the interface failure. Thus, it is not surprising that the experiments reveal a marked size effect, which leads to a 52% reduction in nominal interface shear strength. As far as the inevitable scatter permits it to see, the experimentally observed nominal strength values agree with the theoretical size effect derived in Part II of this study, where the size exponent of the theoretical large-size asymptotic power law is found to be −0.459 for series I and II, and −0.486 for series III.
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e-mail: qiangyu@northwestern.edu
e-mail: z-bazant@northwestern.edu
e-mail: j-bayldon@northwestern.edu
e-mail: jialiang-le@northwestern.edu
e-mail: ferhun.caner@upc.edu
e-mail: whn@umich.edu
e-mail: dcw@umich.edu
e-mail: imdaniel@northwestern.edu
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January 2010
Research Papers
Scaling of Strength of Metal-Composite Joints—Part I: Experimental Investigation
Qiang Yu,
Qiang Yu
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
e-mail: qiangyu@northwestern.edu
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208
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Zdeněk P. Bažant,
Zdeněk P. Bažant
McCormick Institute Professor
Department of Civil and Materials Science,
e-mail: z-bazant@northwestern.edu
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208
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John Bayldon,
John Bayldon
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
e-mail: j-bayldon@northwestern.edu
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208
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Jia-Liang Le,
Jia-Liang Le
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
e-mail: jialiang-le@northwestern.edu
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208
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Ferhun C. Caner,
Ferhun C. Caner
Associate Professor of the Institute of Energy Technologies,
e-mail: ferhun.caner@upc.edu
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
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Wei Heok Ng,
Wei Heok Ng
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: whn@umich.edu
University of Michigan
, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
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Anthony M. Waas,
Anthony M. Waas
Professor
Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: dcw@umich.edu
University of Michigan
, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
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Isaac M. Daniel
Isaac M. Daniel
W.P. Murphy Professor
Department of Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: imdaniel@northwestern.edu
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208
Search for other works by this author on:
Qiang Yu
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208e-mail: qiangyu@northwestern.edu
Zdeněk P. Bažant
McCormick Institute Professor
Department of Civil and Materials Science,
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208e-mail: z-bazant@northwestern.edu
John Bayldon
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208e-mail: j-bayldon@northwestern.edu
Jia-Liang Le
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208e-mail: jialiang-le@northwestern.edu
Ferhun C. Caner
Associate Professor of the Institute of Energy Technologies,
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
e-mail: ferhun.caner@upc.edu
Wei Heok Ng
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering,
University of Michigan
, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122e-mail: whn@umich.edu
Anthony M. Waas
Professor
Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering,
University of Michigan
, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122e-mail: dcw@umich.edu
Isaac M. Daniel
W.P. Murphy Professor
Department of Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering,
Northwestern University
, Evanston, IL 60208e-mail: imdaniel@northwestern.edu
J. Appl. Mech. Jan 2010, 77(1): 011011 (8 pages)
Published Online: October 1, 2009
Article history
Received:
October 29, 2008
Revised:
March 4, 2009
Published:
October 1, 2009
Connected Content
A companion article has been published:
Scaling of Strength of Metal-Composite Joints—Part II: Interface Fracture Analysis
Citation
Yu, Q., Bažant, Z. P., Bayldon, J., Le, J., Caner, F. C., Ng, W. H., Waas, A. M., and Daniel, I. M. (October 1, 2009). "Scaling of Strength of Metal-Composite Joints—Part I: Experimental Investigation." ASME. J. Appl. Mech. January 2010; 77(1): 011011. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3172254
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