FATIGUE FAILURE MECHANISMS IN FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC LAMINATED TEE JOINTS

Out-of-plane joints in FRP structures represent a potential zone of we akness. The principal object of this paper is to study the behaviour o f laminated tee joints under fatigue loading. First, failure mechanism s under static load conditions are explored. These are supplemented by finite element analysis results. The results of the fatigue test prog ramme are then documented. Finally, these results are examined from vi ewpoints related to stiffness loss, degradation mechanisms and cumulat ive damage aspects.