Pull-off Strength of Jagged Pin-reinforced Composite Hat Joints

The effect of stainless steel jagged-pin reinforcement on the pull-off strength of the composite hat-joint was studied by the test. The pins were physically and chemically surface-treated and inserted in the thickness direction over the interface where the skin and stiffener meet. The specimens including the jagged-pins were made by co-curing process. Diameters of the jagged-pins were 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mm. The pin areal densities were set to 0.5 and 2.0% based on the interface area where the skin and stiffener meet. The specimens using 0.3 mm diameter normal (un-jagged) pins with 2.0% areal density were additionally fabricated and tested to investigate the pin shape effect on the pull-off strength. The pull-off strengths of specimens reinforced with 0.5% areal density by 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 mm diameter pins were 45, 19 and 9% higher than those of un-reinforced specimens, respectively. In case with 2.0% pin areal density, the strengths were 127, 45, and 11% higher than those of un-reinforced specimens, respectively. The test results show that the higher pin areal density results in the higher strength when the pin diameter is the same. When the pin areal density is the same, the smaller pin diameter leads to higher strength. When the joints using jagged-pins and normal pins in 2.0% areal density with 0.3 mm diameter, the joints of jagged-pins showed the 64% higher strength. From the results of this study, it was confirmed that jagged-pin reinforcement can be an effective method for improving the pull-off strength of composite hat-joint.