Joining similar and dissimilar materials with GFRP

FRP-joints were made between two components by winding a tow made of strong and stiff glass fibers. The tow was wetted with a suitable resin before it was wound. In a few hours the winding cures to give a strong and stiff joint. A T-joint between two pipes was selected as a specimen. Three kinds of appropriate windings, diagonal, straight and circular were used. The strength of the T-joint was determined under four loading conditions: (i) tensile, (ii) in-plane bending, (iii) bending under a transverse load, and (iv) torsion-cum-bending. The strength of FRP-joint between mild steel pipes was found to be comparable to the strength of a welded joint. Also the strength of a joint between pipes of dissimilar materials, mild steel and aluminum, was found to be marginally higher than the strength of the FRP-joint between mild steel pipes.