Mixed-Mode Fatigue Disbond on Metallic Bonded Joints

Abstract

Aerospace structures have been long dealing with the safety versus weight issue. Lighter airplanes are cheaper to operate, however, they may face a safety issue because of the reduced fatigue life. Consequently, a heavier/safer structure is designed. Adhesive bonding is a joining technique that offers potential for improvement in the fatigue behavior of a structure, resulting in reduced weight. However, predicting the fatigue behavior of a bonded joint for its use in a damage tolerance design philosophy still remains a problem with no satisfactory solution. Often, the joint is subjected to a combination of peeling and shearing stresses. Hence, one of the most important factors influencing the fatigue behavior of an adhesively bonded joint is the Mode Ratio. The objective of this investigation was to study of the Mode Ratio on the fatigue behavior of a bonded joint. First, the fatigue disbond mechanisms were investigated throughout the entire Mode Ratio range and compared to fatigue delamination mechanisms. After the mechanisms were identifed, a parameter related to the mechanisms was chosen as similitude in the Paris relation and the Mixed-Mode fatigue disbond model was developed. Later, the model was evaluated on a different adhesive and on a condition of variable Mode Ratio. The fatigue disbond mechanisms study identified the local principal stress as the driving force for the micro-crack formation and growth, and the Mode Ratio was identified as the controlling parameter for coalescence between the micro-cracks. Based on these findings, a parameter directly related to the principal stress was proposed as a similitude parameter. Additionally, a linear interpolation between Mode I and Mode II parameters of the Paris relation was proposed to predict the Mixed-Mode fatigue behavior. Thus, the model predicts the fatigue behavior for the entire Mode Ratio range using only pure Mode I and pure Mode II as inputs. The evaluation of this model revealed that it presents good predictions for Mode Ratios in the range of 0% to 50% and conservative predictions in the range of 50% to 100%. The model also seems to be valid in a variable Mode Ratio condition. The limitations and shortcomings of the model along with the limitations of using a damage tolerance philosophy on adhesive bonding were discussed. Despite these issues, the model is an improvement over the models available in the literature because it captures some of the phenomena involved in the Mixed-Mode fatigue disbond. Additionally, the model also reduces the amount of empirical data required for its implementation.