Affiliation:
1. University of Southampton
Abstract
The marine industry at present employs the use of aluminium extrusions in the construction of decks and superstructures that could be replaced with pultruded glass reinforced plastic (GRP) profiles. The length of the pultruded section is limited and therefore, efficient and economic jointing techniques must be developed that can withstand the loads applied to ship structures. This paper evaluates a novel means of adhesively bonded connection for GRP structures known as a finger joint. Various joint geometries are examined, load displacement behaviour is established and Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (TSA) is used to provide the full field stress distribution over the joint. The results of the TSA are compared with the load displacement behaviour. It is shown that by increasing fingertip angle there is a decrease in load carrying capacity, a decrease in shear stress and an increase in stress concentration factor at the finger joint tip.
Publisher
Trans Tech Publications, Ltd.
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