Side Clamped Beam (SCB) hinge system for delamination tests in beam-type composite specimens

The experimental study of composite delaminations and adhesive joints is usually carried out using beam-type specimens with bonded metallic fixtures to transfer the applied load. However, bonded joints between the composite specimen and the metallic parts might fail, especially under extreme temperature or fatigue test conditions. Moreover, the quality and alignment of the bonding procedure highly depends on the operator skills and is time consuming. In this paper the design of an improved mechanical hinge is introduced. The new hinge eliminates bonded joints by mechanically clamping the sides of the specimen and avoids the misalignment effects between specimen and fixture. The new system has proven to be easy to use, fast and reliable.