Failure Load Prediction of a Mechanically Fastened Composite Joint Subjected to a Clamping Force

As fiber reinforced composites have been widely used in aircraft and space structures, their joint design has become a very important research area because these joints are often the weakest parts of composite structures. In this article, the failure load of a mechanically fastened composite joint subjected to a clamping force was tested and predicted using the failure area index (FAI) method. The failure load of composite joints subjected to clamping forces on different geometric shapes and dimensions were predicted using the FAI method, and the results were compared with experimental results. From the tests and analyses, the failure load of a mechanically fastened composite joint subjected to a clamping force could be predicted within 23% via the FAI method.