Rainwater effect on bearing strength of glass–epoxy laminated composite pinned joints

Composite materials are used in areas that have varying environmental conditions due to their advantages such as generally higher stiffness- and strength-to-weight ratio, and corrosion resistance compared to metallic alloys. This experimental study is carried out to investigate the bearing strengths and failure modes of woven glass–epoxy composite pinned joints subjected to rainwater. The specimens were immersed in rainwater in a closed plastic container indoors for 20 month periods at room temperature. The ratio of edge-distance-to-hole diameter (E/D) and the ratio of the specimen width-to-hole-diameter (W/D) were selected as parameters. Failure modes were determined by observing the failure regions on the specimens. Damage of immersed and unimmersed specimens was examined using scanning electron misroscopy for the same failure load. Experimental results showed that the bearing load values obtained from the specimens immersed in rainwater decreased in comparison to unimmersed specimens.