Finite element analysis of composite-to-steel type of joint for marine industry

The usage of composite materials makes easier to form complex shapes with the advantage of reducing the weight of the ship. Moreover, composite material is not subject to corrosion, which is the major issue in a marine environment. This paper investigates the design of the adhesively bonded composite-to-steel joint for marine industry. One part of the joint is double-lap connection of steel plate and carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP), whereas the other part is a CFRP-skin sandwich panel with Divinycell® foam as the core. In order to simulate the behaviour of composite-to-steel joint, the finite element analysis is conducted. The results suggest that the analysed joint could be used in marine applications.