Investigation of the Effects of Drilling on Mechanical Joints in Composite Structures

The use of a variety of composites due to their superior properties, which include low weight, high strength, and high corrosion resistance, which are generally many applications in the aerospace, automotive, and marine structures have increased significantly. Fiberglass reinforced composites have several industrial applications due to their suitable mechanical and physical properties. Drilling is one of the common methods for connecting structures made of reinforced materials with fibers. Composite structures usually result from the joining of members to transmit and tolerate incoming forces. One of the methods of connecting the members, due to the ease of maintenance and repair, is the mechanical connection through screws or rivets, which inevitably must create holes in these members. Composites as materials that are difficult to machining, drilling these materials can lead to delamination and, in some cases, degradation. In this paper, the effects of drilling on mechanical joints in composite structures and solutions to prevent damage to them due to drilling are investigated.