EXAMINATION OF KEY ASPECTS DEFINING THE PERFORMANCE-CHARACTERISTICS OF OUT-OF-PLANE JOINTS IN FRP MARINE STRUCTURES

To accelerate research on out-of-plane joints in fibre-reinforced plas tic (FRP) structures, the work that has been done in the past is revie wed in this paper. Areas covered include the connections between two o rthogonal plate elements and top-hat stiffeners attached to plates. Bo th single skin and sandwich topologies are included. Specific attentio n is focused on design synthesis considerations, structural static res ponse analysis, response under impulsive loading, and creep and fatigu e characteristics. The final section outlines key areas for future res earch to improve our understanding of the mechanical behaviour of out- of-plane joints.