Bonding Behaviors of GFRP/Steel Bonded Joints after Wet–Dry Cyclic and Hygrothermal Curing

Abstract

This paper presents the outcomes of a research program that tested and examined the behaviors of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bonded steel double-strap joints after being cured in a variety of harsh curing conditions. Nineteen specimens were manufactured, cured in an air environment (the reference specimen), treated with different wet–dry cyclic curing or hygrothermal pretreatment, and then tested under quasi-static loading. Based on the experimental studies, mixed failure modes, rather than the cohesive failure of the adhesive, were found in the harsh environmental cured specimens. Additionally, an approximately linear relationship of load–displacement curves was observed for all the GFRP/steel bonded specimens from which the tensile capacities and stiffness were discussed. By analyzing the strain development of the bonded specimens during quasi-static tensile testing, the fracture mechanism analysis focused on the threshold value of the strain curves for different cured specimens. Finally, based on the studies of interfacial fracture energy, Gf, the effects of harsh environmental curing were assessed. The results showed that the failure modes, joint tensile capacities, stiffness, and interfacial fracture energy Gf were highly dependent on the curing conditions, and a significant degradation of bonding performance could be introduced by the investigated harsh environments.