Influence of Countersink Fillet Radius on Mechanical Performance of CFRP/Al Bolted Joints

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and aluminum alloys (Al) are widely used in the new generation of commercial aircraft due to their excellent mechanical/physical properties. CFRP/Al countersink bolted structures are important connection forms, where the radius of the countersink fillet affects the mechanical connection performance. The countersink fillet radius is an important factor affecting the mechanical performance of bolted joints. In this paper, the countersink fillet radius is controlled by specially-designed drill-countersink tools with different countersink fillet radii. Meanwhile, the finite element model based on the progressive damage method of composite material is established and utilized to simulate the mechanical performance of different composite/metal bolted joints. The failure mechanism of CFRP/Al bolted joints is analyzed. The results show that the countersink fillet radius can be effectively controlled by specially-designed drill-counterbore tools. The ultimate strength of bolted joints with dimple in the CFRP layer is higher than that in the aluminum alloy layer. In terms of the countersink fillet radius, both CFRP and aluminum alloy materials have the maximum strength when the countersink fillet radius is 1.0 mm. That is, the countersink fillet radius should be slightly larger than the bolt fillet radius, which is conducive to a better mechanical performance.