Strength of carbon/epoxy composite single-lap bonded joints in various environmental conditions

Composite single-lap bonded joints were tested to study the combined effect of the environmental condition and the manufacturing method as they pertain to joint strength and failure conditions. Three different environmental conditions and four different manufacturing methods were considered. In terms of the manufacturing method, cocured joints without an adhesive (CCN) showed the highest strength in all environments. Comparing the effect of the environmental conditions, the elevated temperature and wet condition (ETW) gave the best results for all joints except co-bonded joints. In co-bonded joints, the highest strength was found in the cold temperature condition (CTD).