EFFECTS OF INTERFACE CRACKS EMANATING FROM A CIRCULAR HOLE ON STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS IN BONDED DISSIMILAR MATERIALS

Bonded dissimilar materials are being increasingly used in automobiles, aircraft, rolling stocks, electronic devices and engineering structures. Bonded dissimilar materials have several material advantages over homogeneous materials such as high strength, high reliability, light weight and vibration reduction. Due to their increased use it is necessary to understand how these materials behave under stress conditions. One important area is the analysis of the stress intensity factors for interface cracks emanating from circular holes in bonded dissimilar materials. In this study, the bonded scarf joint is selected for analysis using a model which has comprehensive mixed-mode components. The stress intensity factors were determined by using the boundary element method (BEM) on the interface cracks. Variations of scarf angles and crack lengths emanating from a centered circular hole and an edged semicircular hole in the Al/Epoxy bonded scarf joints of dissimilar materials are computed. From these results, the stress intensity factor calculations are verified. In addition, the relationship between scarf angle variation and the effect by crack length and holes are discussed.