Pull-off test and simulation of ductile adhesive bonded conposite T-joints

A systematic research project with focus on the failure analysis of ductile adhesive bonded composite structures is introduced in this paper. For this purpose, pull-off tests of laminated composite T-joints have been carried out. The constitutive response of adhesive layer with different mode mix ratios was tested with DCB, ENF and MMB tests. The adhesive response was implemented into a cohesive zone model, in which the mode I/II damage responses were unassociated with each other. Successful prediction of the present MMB tests proved the accuracy of the obtained adhesive response. The adhesive constitutive law has finally been used for the simulation of pull-off failure of T-joints. This paper reveals the effect of plastic yielding of the bondline on the overall structural response, which has successfully been captured by the experimentally determined constitutive law of the adhesive layer.