Influence of cohesive zone model parameters of polymer lugs with metal bushing on their geometrical and mass characteristics

This study aimed to develop an approach for the understanding of the relationship between the contact interaction properties of lugs and their strength and mass to design efficient and lightweight lugs for aerospace components. Lugs are crucial components of many aerospace mechanisms, and their properties are closely linked to their contact interactions with bushings. The approach taken in this study involved modeling the adhesive layer between the lug and bushing and optimizing the dimensions of the polymer lug and metal bushing to minimize the lug’s mass while maintaining adequate strength. Finite element analysis (FEA) and cohesive zone modeling (CZM) were used to simulate the effects of primary properties of contact interaction between lug body and bushing on the strength and mass of the lug, and both gradient-free and gradient-based optimization algorithms were employed to minimize the lug’s mass while maintaining its strength. The results showed that increasing shear and tensile contact strengths reduced the resulting mass, with tangential stress having the greatest effect. Moreover, increasing contact strength reduced the required dimensions of the lug and bushing, indicating the possibility of reducing the mass of the bushing–lug assembly using rougher bushings or ribbing.