Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Behaviour and Strength of Composite Steel-CFRP Members

Abstract

The use of advanced composite materials to strengthen and repair existing structures is increasing rapidly. One specific area in which the technique has recently been introduced is the strengthening of metallic structures with bonded carbon-fibre laminates. In this paper, the behaviour of composite steel-CFRP members is studied experimentally and using FE analysis. A new type of test specimen has been developed to examine the effect of various material parameters on the behaviour and strength of bonded steel-CFRP elements. Finite element analysis of the tested elements was also employed to examine the type and magnitude of interfacial stresses in the bond line of these elements. Moreover, different types of fracture mode could be examined by testing composite elements with different combinations of CFRP-laminates and adhesives. The tested composite elements displayed different behaviour and a large difference in strength and ductility could be observed.