Strength of composite laminated bolted joint subjected to a clamping force

As these composites have become more popular, composite joint design has become a very important research area, as these joints are often the weakest parts of composite structures. In this paper, the strength of a composite laminated bolted joint being subjected to a clamping force was tested and predicted using the FAI (Failure Area Index) method. The strengths of composite joints subjected to clamping forces on different geometric shapes and dimensions were predicted using the FAI method, and the results were compared with experimental results. From the tests and analyses, the strength of a given composite laminated bolted joint subjected to a clamping force could be predicted within 22.5% via the FAI method.