Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/J60377/01
Title:	STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF BONDED CONNECTIONS BETWEEN POLYMER COMPOSITE COMPONENTS IN MARINE APPLICATIONS
Principal Investigator:	Cowling, Professor M
Other Investigators:	Hashim, Dr S Winkle, Mr I
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Mechanical Engineering
Organisation:	University of Glasgow
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	25 April 1994	Ends:	24 April 1996	Value (£):	107,094
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Eng. Dynamics & Tribology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
(1) To understand the influences of different forms of external loading in complex fabrications of pressurised pipework on the detailed stress distributions within joints. (2) To understand the behaviour of typical defects in bonded connections between polymer composite pipe sections, taking into account different forms of connections and adhesives. (3) To ascertain the role of typical defects in bonded pipe connections in determining the limiting performance of the pipe system when subjected to static or cyclic loading. (4) To provide guidelines on the target performance of inspection processes with respect to different types of defect, and thus the basis for total quality management methods for structural integrity of bonded joints. (1) Numerical analysis will be undertaken using finite element methods, of a range of bonded composite pipe connections subjected to various combinations of pressure, tension and compression, bending and torsion loading to ascertain the stress distributions in the bonded connections between typical pipe sections. (2) Some of the analyses in (1) will be validated experimentally using full scale tests. (3) Common defects in pipe connections will be identified and numerical analysis carried out. (4) Small scale experiments on failure loci for the defects found in (3) will allow calibration of the models.(5) Critical defect failure parameters will be derived for different defect types and loading, and an assessment procedure will be developed. (6) The assessment procedure will undergo full scale experimental validation. (7) The current methods of making pipe connections will be reviewed to reduce the probability of defects. (8) The efficiency of various current and potential repair processes will be studied experimentally. (9) Recommendations for inspection performance and guideline on repair process effectiveness will be made.
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