Abstract
One of the difficulties in composite structural application is joining components. A T-joint is a critical component in aircraft structures that transfers loads between vertical and horizontal panels. However, in T-joints, a critical concern is that cracks occur in the deltoid and immediately propagate along the flange-skin interface. Therefore, introducing crack arrest features at the flange-skin interface is effective in improving the damage tolerance of T-joints. This study begins by investigating the crack propagation mode at the flange-skin interface using finite element analysis and then proposes an appropriate crack arresting mechanism using interlocking fiber features that we have been studying. The effectiveness of the crack arrester in T-joints is evaluated by pull-up tests. The specimens with the arrester showed totally different failure progress and much higher energy absorption capability as compared to the specimens without the arrester. Some important findings on the efficient arrester arrangement and configuration were also obtained.
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