Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Adhesively Bonded Stiffened Panels Subjected to In-Plane Compression Loading

This paper presents a numerical and experimental study on the pre and post-buckling behavior of adhesively bonded stiffened panels subjected to in-plane compression loading. An experimental programme was carried out to characterize the buckling load, buckling modes and collapse loads. The mechanical tests were performed in the Aerospace Structures Laboratory at ITA. The structural performance of the bonded stiffened panels in terms of buckling and collapse loads was compared to conventional riveted stiffened panels. Finite element models accounting for material, geometrical nonlinearities as well as progressive failure in the bonded interface were developed and validated experimentally. A good agreement between numerical and experimental results was found for buckling and collapse loads through number of semi-waves and measured strains. The experimental and numerical results indicate a superior performance in buckling load and failure load of the bonded stiffened panels over the riveted panels. Both numerical and experimental results showed that the bonded stiffened panels had over 19% higher failure load in comparison with the riveted panels.