Lap Joints Research Articles

Heat input control in horizontal lap joint welding through active wire preheating in GMAW-P

Heat input control in horizontal lap joint welding through active wire preheating in GMAW-P

Synthesis of tragacanth gum-based programmable adhesive for wood binding applications

Synthesis of graft copolymer [2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (MAETMAC) grafted gum tragacanth was performed using the microwave-assisted technique using potassium persulfate (KPS) as a free radical initiator. The synthesized grades were optimized by varying the monomer and the initiator concentration. The intended grafting was ascertained through standard physico-chemical characterizations. The synthesized graft copolymer was studied as a water-soluble adhesive for fabrication of single lap joint. The failure shear stress of lap joint was obtained using the Universal Testing Machine (UTM). Further, the self-separation study of the lap joints was carried out by soaking the lap-joint under water until they got self-separated. The failure shear stress and self-separation time of the adhesive in water were compared with three commercial adhesives available. The properties “self separation time” in water and “failure shear stress” were programmable at the molecular level (molecular level programming) in terms of percentage grafting.

Weight function analyses and stress intensity factors for corner/surface crack in straight and tapered lugs

AbstractLug is one of the most important lap joints in many engineering structures, especially airframes. Through‐thickness and part‐through cracks emanating from pin‐loaded lug hole are frequently encountered due to stress concentration. Stress intensity factors for various crack geometries are the prerequisite for damage tolerance design of attachment lug. In this paper, analytical 2D weight functions for through‐thickness crack in lug are derived considering the contact condition between the pin and lug. With the derived 2D weight function, a highly efficient 3D slice synthesis weight function method (SSWFM) is then developed to determine 3D SIFs of hole‐edge corner/surface crack in straight and tapered lugs under various pin loadings. The resulting 3D SIFs are verified by comparisons with the numerical FEM/Franc3D solutions and literature data. The SSWFM is about 1800 times faster than the numerical FEM/Franc3D and therefore will significantly enhance damage tolerance analysis capability for attachment lugs.

Tangential eddy current probe for testing of soldered joints of busbars in electrical machines

The article considers nondestructive testing of soldered lap joints of electric machines by means of a two-element eddy current tangential probe, excitation and measuring windings of which are placed on both sides of the test object. To ensure shielding from closely located current-conducting elements two active shielding windings are used. Using the tangential probe and reference blocks, replicating the shape and dimensions of the tested joint and imitating 0% and 100% soldering, allows measurement of soldering of busbar lap joints.

Influence of high frequency on the fatigue life of metallic single lap joints

Polymer adhesives are known to exhibit time dependent mechanical behaviour, that becomes more and more evident approaching the glass transition temperature, Tg. When subjected to fatigue, bonded joint lifetime can be therefore affected by the loading frequency and amplitude. According to the literature, the influence of the frequency on the fatigue behavior manifests as a rise of the temperature in the adhesive due to the hysteretic heating, which is related in turn to Tg and to the viscoelastic properties of the adhesive. In this paper, cyclic loading was applied to single lap shear joints until failure at frequencies in the range of 70–90 Hz, that are little explored by the existing literature. The aim is twofold: on one side, to investigate the possibility to speed up fatigue tests in comparison to tests performed in the range of 7–9 Hz; on the other side, to explore the possibility to generate stress-life data in a range of number of cycles between 106 and 108, therefore two order of magnitude higher then usual, without exceeding with the time required for the tests. The joints were made with both aluminum and stainless-steel substrates bonded with a structural epoxy adhesive, to manufacture a Single Lap Joint (SLJ). Two loading ratios R (respectively 0.1 and 0.4, defined as the minimum over the maximum force of the fatigue cycle) and different load ranges were applied. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique was used to assess the presence of creep strains. A preliminary investigation consisting in a Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) of bulk adhesive for the range of frequency of interest, and in the measurement of the temperature of the adhesive layer during some selected fatigue tests was carried out. No significant changes of the viscoelastic properties of the adhesive were found for the frequency of interest, and, at the same time, temperature measurements revealed that the temperature increased by a few degrees, remaining in any case far from the glass transition temperature. The test results showed that only small effect due to the application of a high frequency cyclic loading on the fatigue life apparently occurs for tests carried out at the lowest load ratio, in particular when the applied loads were relatively low, and the number of cycles at failure relatively high. On the opposite, the results of tests carried out at the highest load ratio are affected by the loading frequency, and it has been related to the presence of significant creep deformation within the adhesive layer.

Improvement of electrical and mechanical properties of laser welded lap joints via dimensional optimization

With the proliferation of electric drivetrains, the development and optimization of joining techniques for the fabrication of battery packs became a prime manufacturing topic. Decreasing the electrical resistance and increasing the mechanical strength of the welds at the individual cell level are of great importance not only for productivity and efficiency but also for safety and sustainability purposes. Lasers offer an advanced, highly automatable solution for battery cell joining. Usually, the optimization focuses on the laser parameters or the scanning speed. However, the most widespread battery welding geometry, the so-called lap geometry, allows alternative possibilities for joint property optimization. The novelty of our approach is that we focus on systematic experimental investigation of the effects of dimensional parameters and the layout of the weld pattern. Systematic experiments reveal that the shape and size of the weld area have substantial effect on the properties of the laser welded joint. Our results prove that a rather substantial gain can be achieved in both the electrical and mechanical properties when the weld consists of at least two parallel bead segments. We also show that it is beneficial by both means if the segments have the greatest individual length and placed apart at the maximum feasible distance. The orientation of the straight segments affects the mechanical and electrical behavior differently: strongest welds consist of weld segments oriented in parallel, while the smallest resistance can be achieved using segments oriented perpendicular to the direction of current flow, respectively.

Evolution of bonding mechanism and fracture mechanism of Ti alloy-steel joint by dual-beam laser welding using Mg-RE (RE=Gd, Y) filler

In this paper, a novel coaxial continuous-pulsed dual-beam laser was proposed to join TC4 titanium alloy with QP980 high-strength steel, and magnesium alloy containing rare-earth elements (Mg-RE) was creatively as filler. The weld appearance, microstructure and mechanical properties of joints obtained by single-beam and dual-beam laser welding were compared and analyzed. And the evolution of bonding mechanism and the fracture mechanism with laser beam energy density was analyzed. The results showed that the appearance and mechanical strength of the joint obtained by dual-beam laser were better than that by single-beam laser. And the maximum tensile shear load of TC4/QP980 lap joint welded by dual-beam laser reached 303 N/mm, which was 124 % of that of single-beam laser welding. The bonding of Mg-RE with QP980 affected by temperature of laser welding and mainly depended on Gd and Y. They just diffused to QP980 under low power and reacted with Fe under high power. And the inter-diffusion of Zr of Mg-RE with Ti of TC4 produced to the bonding of Mg-RE with TC4. The roles of continuous laser and pulsed laser in dual-beam laser welding were revealed in this paper and it showed a great application potential of coaxial dual-beam laser welding technology in dissimilar metal joining.

A novel epoxy adhesive with metal organic framework (MOF) and poly(butyl acrylate‐block‐styrene) for bonding aluminum–aluminum joints: A complete overview of mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties

AbstractIn this study, MIL‐101 (Cr) and NH2‐MIL‐101 (Cr) nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method. Butyl acrylate‐styrene copolymer was used along with these nanoparticles to improve the mechanical properties of epoxy adhesive. The results of the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) test showed that the synthesis and functionalization of the metal organic framework (MOFs) were successful. The mechanical properties and adhesion features in the lap joint bonding of aluminum foil to the aluminum foil of modified epoxy adhesives were investigated by tensile and lap shear tests. The results of the tensile test showed that by adding 0.3 wt% of NH2‐MIL‐101 (Cr) and 2.5 wt% of poly(butyl acrylate‐block‐styrene) to epoxy adhesive, the tensile strength, modulus and toughness of dumbbell samples were increased up to 34.46%, 31.74% and 58.53%, respectively. Furthermore, based on the lap shear test results, by adding 0.3 wt% NH2‐MIL‐101 (Cr) along with 2.5% poly(butyl acrylate‐block‐styrene) to the epoxy adhesive, the lap shear strength of samples increased from 1.05 ± 0.08 MPa to 5.25 ± 0.06 MPa compared to the neat epoxy adhesive. According to the TGA test, the highest thermal stability is related to the sample containing 0.3 wt% of NH2‐MIL‐101 nanoparticles and 2.5 wt% of the copolymer. The image of the fracture surface of the sample containing 0.3 wt%. NH2‐MIL‐101 (Cr) and 2.5 wt% block copolymer shows that the interface of nanoparticles and the matrix improved due to the chemical reaction of functional groups of nanoparticles and adhesive matrix.

Study on the influence of water ingress on the interface of high strength zinc coated steels and epoxy adhesives

This study aimed to assess the impact of humidity on adhesive joints comprising four different Zn-coated high strength steel substrates (SA, SB, SC, and SD) and two epoxy adhesives (EA and EB) at 70 °C. Several tests were conducted to analyse the effects of humidity on adhesive properties, under both dry and saturated conditions. Gravimetric tests were used to measure water absorption by the adhesives, while mechanical properties were evaluated through bulk tensile tests. Chemical structure changes were examined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the glass transition temperature was determined using a DMA-like test. The water immersion behaviour of the substrates was studied through gravimetric tests and surface energy was analysed using contact angle measurements. The overall joint performance was assessed through gravimetric tests, and the mechanical impact of water was evaluated using single lap joint tests on both dry and aged joints, for one week and one month. The findings indicated that EB adhesive absorbed more water compared to EA, which did not reach saturation. FTIR analysis revealed significant chemical degradation in the EB adhesive after ageing, leading to greater deterioration in mechanical properties compared to EA. The bulk substrate tests showed similar surface energy among the substrates, with SA being the only substrate that did not corrode during water immersion. In terms of joint behaviour, cohesive failure was predominant in dry conditions, but as the joints aged, those with EB adhesive experienced a decrease in failure load due to adhesive degradation, while the interface remained strong. Joints with EA adhesive exhibited increasing interfacial failure, indicating weaker interfaces that allowed water ingress between the adhesive and substrate. Consequently, water uptake in the joints was higher for EA adhesive than for EB adhesive, contrary to the behaviour observed at the bulk level. SA and SD substrates demonstrated stronger interfaces with EA, likely due to their higher developed interfacial area ratio, which facilitated mechanical interlocking.

Free Vibration Frequency Prediction to Design Optimum Adhesively Bonded Composite Double Lap Joint

Free Vibration Frequency Prediction to Design Optimum Adhesively Bonded Composite Double Lap Joint

Elucidating role of sheets mutual position and copper interlayer in FSW of dissimilar Ti6Al4V-SS316L lap joints: Metallurgical and mechanical characterizations

Technological advancements catering to the specific requirements of different industries have led to a rise in the use of multi-material components. Combining titanium and stainless steel can reduce the weight of components used for many industrial applications, making it a popular choice. The present investigation compares Ti6Al4V/SS 316 L friction stir welded (FSW) lap joints' metallurgical and mechanical properties as a function of velocity ratio, sheets' mutual position, and the presence of a Cu interlayer. The process mechanics and the impact of different strategies on intermetallic (IMC), grain morphology, intermittent phases, joint resistance, and microhardness are discussed. Successful FSW lap joints of SS 316 L/ Ti6Al4V, utilizing SS 316 L as the upper plate and a Cu interlayer, have been documented and deliberated for the first time in the present study. These specimens demonstrated immaculate joints for all the processing velocity ratios owing to superior mechanical interlocking offered by distinguished extruded hook accompanied by comparatively lean IMC layers affecting tensile shear strengths.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of T2 copper /316L stainless steel explosive welding composite with small size wavy interface

Copper/stainless steel composite is often used for preparation of superconducting busbar “double box” lap joints. However, it is a challenge for the large thickness T2 copper/316L stainless steel composite is fabricated by explosive welding, because of the bonding interface is always present many problems such as large ripple size, many microscopic defects, low bonding strength and poor sealing etc. In this paper, the big-thickness T2 copper/316L stainless steel composite with small size wavy interface was successfully fabricated by explosive welding. Microstructure of bonding interface indicated that the welding process could be divided into three stages: detonation growth stage, detonation stabilization stage, detonation descent stage. The morphology of bonding interface presented a regular wavy interface and no defects such as cracks, voids and intermetallic compound were formed in the stable stage, which was consistent with the results of ultrasonic and permeability quality inspection. The hardness of copper side and stainless steel side close to the bonding interface reached 131HV and 432HV, respectively. Dynamic recrystallization and fine grain generated in the bonding interface. The mechanical properties of tensile strength, pull-off strength and shear strength in the stable detonation stage is greater than 110 MPa, which is meeting the requirements of preparation of superconducting busbar “double box” lap joints. The deformation failure mainly occurred in the copper side near the bonding interface, which presented a higher bonding strength than copper. Some dimples and tearing edges with different sizes on the fracture surfaces, indicating that the fracture was a typical ductile fracture.

Study on the effectiveness of single-bolt double-lap joints for integrating the damping system with building structure during cyclic load

Purpose Nowadays, in building structures, dampers are connected to the building structure to reduce the damages caused by seismicity in addition to enhancing structural stability, and to connect dampers with the structure, joints are used. In this paper, three different configurations of double-lap joints were designed, developed and tested. Design/methodology/approach This paper aims to analyze three different categories of double-lap single-bolted joints that are used in connecting dampers with concrete and steel frame structures. These joints were designed and tested using computational, numerical and experimental methods. The studies were conducted to examine the reactions of the joints during loading conditions and to select the best joints for the structures that allow easy maintenance of the dampers and also withstand structural deformation when the damper is active during seismicity. Also, a computational analysis was performed on the designed joints integrated with the M25 concrete beam column junction. In this investigation, experimental study was carried out in addition to numerical and computational methods during cyclic load. Findings It was observed from the result that during deformation the double-base multiplate lap joint was suitable for buildings because the deformations on the joint base was negligible when compared with other joints. From the computational analysis, it was revealed that the three double joints while integrated with the beam column junction of M25 grade concrete structure, the damages induced by the double-base multiplate joint was negligible when compared with other two joints used in this study. Originality/value To prevent the collapse of the building during seismicity, dampers are used and further connecting the damper with the building structures, joints are used. In this paper, three double-lap joints in different design configuration were studied using computational, numerical and experimental techniques.

Topological optimization hybrid algorithm for the adhesive joint

The subject of this study is a topological optimization algorithm for a lapped symmetric adhesive joint. The purpose of this research is to create a hybrid optimization algorithm that combines the advantages of a genetic algorithm and a particle swarm algorithm and, at the same time, reduces the time required to solve the problem. Task: to create a methodology for solving the optimization problem for a symmetric double-sided lapped adhesive joint, which consists of a main plate and two patches (the main plate has a constant thickness, and the thickness of the patches varies along the length of the joint, this is required to reduce the stress concentration in the joint and reduce its weight) with satisfaction of the optimality criterion, namely, to minimize the mass of the structure with the strength and thickness restrictions for the patch. The optimization problem is that we must find the optimal patch form, namely, the length of the patch and the thickness-on-length dependence for the patch. Methods: the modified Goland-Reissner model was used to describe the deflected mode of the joint. The finite difference method was used to solve the direct stress state problem for the structure. For the numerical solution of the optimization problem, a combination of the multi-population model of the genetic optimization algorithm and the particle swarm algorithm was used. To improve the performance of the genetic algorithm, a multi-population model with migration of the best individuals between populations was applied. The introduction of individuals from other populations into the population avoids homogenization of the genotype in a separate population and premature stopping of the optimization process. To describe the shape of the patch, the Fourier series expansion of the patch thickness dependence was used. Results: A hybrid algorithm is proposed based on the sequential application of a genetic algorithm and a particle swarm algorithm for three populations of solutions. The particle swarm algorithm makes it possible to improve the value of the objective function achieved at the previous stage by 20%. Conclusions: the scientific novelty lies in the improvement of the optimization algorithm compared with the known ones. To reduce the calculation time, a one-dimensional adhesive joint stress state mathematical model was used in this paper. The methods used made it possible to create a combined topological optimization algorithm that combines the advantages of both methods and allows us to find a solution to the problem quite quickly. The Python program run time is only a few minutes.

Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) Model for the Damage Mechanisms Present in Joints Bonded Using Adhesives Doped with Inorganic Fillers

The use of adhesive bonding in diverse industries such as the automotive and aerospace sectors has grown considerably. In structural construction, adhesive joints provide a unique combination of low structural weight, high strength and stiffness, combined with a relatively simple and easily automated manufacturing method, characteristics that are ideal for the development of modern and highly efficient vehicles. In these applications, ensuring that the failure mode of a bonded joint is cohesive rather than adhesive is important since this failure mode is more controlled and easier to model and to predict. This work presents a numerical technique that enables the precise prediction of the bonded joint’s behavior regarding not only its failure mode, but also the joint’s strength, when inorganic fillers are added to the adhesive. To that end, hollow glass particles were introduced into an epoxy adhesive in different amounts, and a numerical study was carried out to simulate their influence on single lap joint specimens. The numerical results were compared against experimental ones, not only in terms of joint strength, but also their failure pattern. The neat adhesive, which showed 9% and 20% variations in terms of failure load and displacement, respectively. However, looking at the doped configurations, these presented smaller variations of about 2% and 10% for each respective variable. In all cases, by adding glass beads, crack initiation tended to change from adhesive to cohesive but with lower strength and ductility, correctly modeling the general experimental behavior as intended.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Lap Welding Joint of Al/CU Dissimilar Metals

In this paper, 5083 aluminum alloy and T2 copper were selected for the friction stir lap welding test. The effect of intermetallic compounds on the microstructure and properties of Al/Cu dissimilar metal lap joints was studied. The results showed that the circulating Al/Cu composite structure was formed on the advancing side of the lap joint, and the Al/Cu staggered hook-like structure and copper-rich region were generated on the retreating side. There was no typical ‘onion ring’ structure in the joint. Element diffusion occurred at the interface of the joint, forming a thin and uniform interfacial layer of Al/Cu intermetallic compounds, thus achieving a well-metallurgical bond at the Al/Cu interface. There were the intermetallic compounds Al2Cu and Al4Cu9, without AlCu, in the lap joint. In addition, dynamic recrystallization occurred in the nugget zone, and higher dislocation density and dislocation entanglement were generated, which enhanced the deformation resistance in the nugget zone and increased the joint strength. The tensile test showed that the ductile–brittle mixed fracture occurred in the heat-affected zone on the advancing side of the aluminum plate, and the fracture had necking. The failure load of the lap joint was 4350 ± 30 N, about 80% of the aluminum base metal. The elongation of the Al/Cu dissimilar lap joint tensile specimen was 2.5%.

Damage (delamination and crack) effect on frequency and strain energy release rate (SERR) in adhesively bonded multi-material single lap joint—an experimental verification

Damage (delamination and crack) effect on frequency and strain energy release rate (SERR) in adhesively bonded multi-material single lap joint—an experimental verification

Accelerating environmental ageing effects of adhesively bonded aluminium joints by using smaller bonding areas

ABSTRACT In all areas of application, adhesive joints are exposed to environmental conditions, which can weaken the joint. To verify the functionality of the joints for a certain service life, accelerated ageing tests are used. To assess the mechanical performance of aged joints, single lap joints (SLJ) are often used. The influence of various geometries of SLJ on the strength and stress behaviour is known. The various ageing processes in bonded joints are not yet sufficiently known. Thus, the influence of the specimen geometry on the ageing behaviour cannot be reliably estimated and is therefore investigated in this work. SLJ with different geometries made of an AlMgSi alloy and a one-component epoxy-hybrid adhesive were artificially aged. T dimensions of the SLJ were varied in width, overlap length, adhesive thickness or joint design. Similar ageing results were seen in a significant shorter time with narrower samples or shorter overlap length. A SLJ with a bonding area of 6.3 mm x 6.3 mm was derived from these results. After 4–5 weeks of ageing, this shows comparable results to the standard test SLJ after 8 weeks. This allows to speed up industrial ageing tests nearly by factor two without changing ageing mechanisms.

Elastic wave based Non-Destructive Evaluation for joint characterization in thin section welded structures

Ensuring safety and reliability in aerospace, automotive, civil, and mechanical industries require efficient evaluation of weld integrity. This involves assessing mechanical, metallurgical, and morphological properties of the bonded zone. Elastic wave-based Non-Destructive Evaluation provides a cost-effective and efficient alternative for long-range, through-thickness, and in-situ inspection. For this investigation, two 2mm-thick plates of Al5052-Al6083, measuring 250mm x 180mm, were friction stir welded in a lap arrangement. Out-of-plane displacement was generated by a Piezoelectric Transducer and measured using a Laser Doppler Vibrometer. To generate pulses of 60V and 120V at frequencies of 60kHz and 80kHz, a high-voltage amplifier was utilized. Additionally, visco-elastic bands were employed at the structure boundary for damping purposes. This study used both fundamental modes to analyze various weld discontinuities such as voids, tunnels, microcracks, hooking bonds etc. Frequency-wavelength filtering techniques were applied for advanced signal processing. Also, the results were cross validated using X-ray, SEM, EDS, and CT scans. This investigation found a direct correlation between lamb wave propagation and weld performance, as the defect size increased, wave transmission decreased from 13.50dB to 6.34dB at 120V and 60kHz. Abruptly lower transmission behavior at 80 kHz of D2 defect is due to S0 mode conversion. Keywords: Lamb wave, Non-Destructive Evaluation, Weld integrity, Friction stir welding, Thin section lap joint

Low‐temperature curable adhesive for joining SiC/SiC components: Their application in wide range of temperatures

AbstractHerein we report the formulation of phenolic resin–based adhesive to join SiC substrates for a wide range of application temperatures. The formulation consists of phenolic resin as a binder and a mixture of B4C, Al2O3, Y2O3, Si, and SiO2 powders as active filler. The X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, porosity, and scanning electron microscopy analysis were carried out to understand the reactions occurring within this adhesive during its exposure to application temperatures. These results were also used to understand thermal stability and morphological changes that are involved in the formulated adhesive during its application. The shear strength values of lap joints of SiC substrates made with this phenolic adhesive after exposure to temperatures between 200 and 1500°C were studied to evaluate its adhesive capacity. Obtained SiC joints with this adhesive have shown an excellent lap shear strength value of 24 MPa after its cure. These joints were also found to be intact with good shear strength values of more than 5 MPa even after exposure to temperatures ranging from 200 to 1500°C. The results further confirm that the adhesive is potentially viable for joining SiC segments for their application at a wide range of temperatures in oxidative environments.