Tensile behavior of mechanical joint for GFRP/metal mesh hybrid laminate after low-velocity impact

This work investigates the effect of metal mesh reinforcement on the low-velocity impact (LVI) resistance and post-LVI tensile properties of bolted-joint glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP). With the self-designed fixtures, a total of nine different specimen types were tested, varying in stacking sequences and configurations. The analysis of the displacement-force curves, damage morphology, and the progression strain contour captured by the digital image correlation (DIC) technology revealed that the incorporation of metal mesh disperses impact energy, and alters the stress distribution during tensile loading, thus, the compressive stress above the bolt hole is partially taken up by the tensile force below. Specifically, under an incident energy of 9 J, the metal mesh-reinforced ply A specimens show a 10.17% increase in maximum contact force and a 36.63% enhancement in tensile ultimate strength compared to the unreinforced specimens.Highlights Inserted metal mesh to strengthen the bolted-joint performance of post-LVI GFRP. Self-designed fixtures and DIC for LVI and post-LVI tensile tests. Added metal mesh can effectively avoid concentrated failure in pure GFRP. At the same layup, up to 36.63% rise in bearing loading of hybrid laminate.