Effects of thermal ageing and impact loading on tensile properties of adhesively bonded fibre/epoxy composite joints

Abstract An experimental study has been performed to determine the effects of thermal ageing at three different temperatures on tensile properties of adhesively bonded fibre/epoxy composite single lap joints. Primarily, adhesively bonded composite specimens were subjected to thermal ageing process at temperatures of −18 °C, 25 °C and 70 °C. Afterwards, free-fall drop impacts having different energy levels (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 J) were applied to adhesively bonded single lap composite joints. In order to determine the effects of thermal ageing and free-fall drop impacts on tensile properties, tensile tests were performed under three different temperatures of −18 °C, 25 °C and 70 °C. It is found from the results that thermal ageing at −18 °C increased the load carrying capacity of joints yet, impacts applied to the joints decreased it. In addition reductions have been observed in the failure load of joints at the tensile testing temperatures of −18 and 70 °C.