Finite Element Analysis of Tensile Properties for the Single-Strap Butt Joint of a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite

To analyze the tensile properties for the single-strap butt joint of a carbon fiber reinforced composite, a finite element model was established using no. 22 and no. 185 materials based on LS-DYNA with the test data and the theoretical solutions reported by Li et al. Then, the tensile properties influenced by three factors were analyzed, i.e., the connection strength, the failure mode of the composite, and the adhesive stress. The results show that the adhesive interface of 0° stacking can greatly improve the tensile strength and reduce the composite matrix tensile damage. With the increase of the adhesive thickness, the connection strength decreases first and then increases. As for the overlap length, its increase is conductive to the tensile strength but detrimental to the lightweight design. Therefore, these factors should be taken into consideration when designing the joint.