Harnessing the synergy of grout and adhesive: Numerical prediction of load capacity in hybrid composite joints

This study examines grouted joints for offshore wind turbine systems, where gaps between steel pipes are filled with grout, relying on adhesion, friction and compression struts formed by shear keys. Concerns about the limited load carrying capacity of large diameter grouted joints in offshore structures have prompted investigation. Whilst adhesive bonds are recognised for load transfer in structural steel, the complete replacement of grouting with bonding alone is proving impractical for large gaps in offshore structures, posing challenges in terms of cost and handling. To address these challenges, the study presents an innovative hybrid grouted joint for steel structures that combines grout and adhesive layers. This novel approach replaces traditional large shear keys with distributed micro-shear keys - small granules embeded in the grout material. Under axial loading, the hybrid joint demonstrates robust performance, with a maximum nominal shear stress on the inner pipe of 30.1 MPa and consistent load capacity across tests. Average shear strength is in line with, and occasionally exceeds, expectations. Notably, the hybrid joint shows resilience in different configurations and maintains a low coefficient of variation of 5.5%, indicating consistent performance. When the influence of the adhesive material on the hybrid joint is examined, the effect on the joint stiffness is minimal, despite variations in adhesive stiffness. Sikadur 370, which has a higher modulus of elasticity than DuploTEC, shows similar deformation curves in the elastic region, emphasising the robustness of the joint. Differences in the maximum loads are attributed to the thickness of the adhesive layer and the lower modulus of DuploTEC, resulting in different shear strengths. The proposed hybrid joint offers a promising solution to improve the performance of conventional grouts and adhesives in offshore structures. The study also formulates a failure criterion, performs numerical stress analysis, and models the effect of geometric dimensions, eccentricity, and misalignment on load capacity. The methodology’s accuracy in predicting load capacity, supported by numerical analysis and large-scale joint simulations, contributes to a comprehensive understanding of hybrid joint performance in engineering applications.