Study on the Performance of Adhesive-Bolt Hybrid Connection Between GFRP Plate and Steel Plate

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) connecting joints are difficult in the design of structural components and also critical areas prone to damage. In this study, based on the existing research, a combination of experimental and finite element analysis is used to systematically analyze the performance-influencing factors of the hybrid connection of glass fiber-reinforced composite plate and steel plate adhesive bolts under tension. By discussing the damage modes, load-displacement curves, and strain distributions at the GFRP connection joints, the influence of the connection methods and bolt quantities on the tensile properties of double-lap joints comprising GFRP plates and steel plates is revealed, and a loss evolution model for GFRP composite plates is established based on the Hashin failure criterion. The results show that the adhesive-bolted connection integrates the advantages of both adhesive bonding and bolted connections, significantly improving the tensile performance of the joint. Furthermore, the vertical arrangement of two bolts is superior to the horizontal arrangement under double-bolt connection conditions between GFRP plates and steel plates. For the several design options proposed in this study, the GFRP joints exhibit the optimal tensile properties among the four bolt arrangement schemes.