Corrosion-Induced Degradation Mechanisms and Bond-Slip Relationship of CFRP-Steel-Bonded Interfaces

Carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) bonded steel structures are increasingly adopted in offshore floating structures, yet their interfacial performance is highly susceptible to corrosion in marine environments. Corrosion-induced degradation of the CFRP-steel interface can significantly affect load transfer mechanisms and long-term structural reliability. This paper reports an experimental study on corrosion-induced degradation mechanisms and bond-slip behaviour of CFRP-steel double-strap joints. Controlled corrosion damage was generated using an accelerated electrochemical technique calibrated to ISO 9223 corrosivity categories. Tension tests were performed to examine the effects of corrosion degree, CFRP bond length, and the inclusion of glass fibre sheets (GFS) in the adhesive layer on failure modes, ultimate load capacity, and effective bond length. Digital image correlation (DIC) was employed to obtain strain distributions along the CFRP plates and to establish a bond-slip model for corroded interfaces. The results indicate that corrosion promotes a transition from CFRP delamination to steel-adhesive interface debonding, reduces interfacial shear strength to 17.52 MPa and fracture energy to 5.49 N/mm, and increases the effective bond length to 130 mm. Incorporating GFS mitigates corrosion-induced bond degradation and enhances joint performance. The proposed bond-slip model provides a basis for more reliable durability assessment and design of bonded joints in corrosive environments.