ROTATIONAL RESISTANCE TEST OF A NEW ALUMINUM ALLOY PENETRATING (AAP) JOINT SYSTEM

Aluminum alloy penetrating (AAP) joint is an improved form of the Aluminum Alloy Temcor (AAT) joint system consisting of one penetrating member, four short members, gussets, bolts and a U-shaped connector. The rotational resistance performance of AAP joints is investigated by a static out-of-plane flexural test. The specific experimental parameters include the gusset thickness (6 mm and 12 mm) and shape (circular and X-shaped). The differences between penetrating and short members in AAP joints are analyzed, and the influence of thicknesses and shapes of gusset on rotational resistance behavior of the joints is analyzed. The establishment of the finite element model of the AAP joint system in this paper considers the effects of bolt pre-tightening force, installation gap and friction between contact surfaces. The M-Φ curves and damage patterns are obtained by numerical simulation. The detailed comparative analysis between AAP joint numerical simulation and test results verifies the accuracy of the numerical model.