Abstract:
Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is able to produce flush, high-strength transition joints between metal and FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) structures. In this research, the authors developed an analytical model to characterize the mechanical properties of UAM-produced metal–FRP joints and to guide joint design and application. The analytical model applies both the thick-walled cylindrical pressure vessel theory and Tsai–Wu failure criterion to calculate the stress condition in the embedded fibers and to identify the failure mode when tension is applied to the joint. Experimental results for two different aluminum alloy–carbon fiber reinforced polymer (AA-CFRP) joint sample configurations show that the analytical model is able to predict both the peak load and failure mode of the joint based on the material properties and joint geometries. The model is run in predictive mode to estimate the strength of metal–FRP transition joints with different material combinations and configurations. Transition joints with new designs are fabricated and tested, and the experimental data correlate well with the analytical predictions. This demonstrates that the model is effective for evaluating metal–FRP joint strength and can be utilized to guide the design of transition joints to meet strength requirements.
N. ZHAO, H. GUO, L.M. Headings, and M.J. Dapino, “Analytical modeling of metal–FRP joints made by ultrasonic additive manufacturing,” Composites Part B: Engineering, 311:113182, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.113182
