Comparison between double and single sided bonded composite repair with circular shape

In this study, a new approach is applied to compare the performances of single sided and double-sided symmetric composite patch with circular shape for repairing cracked aircraft structures. This is an approach that consists to evaluate the mass gain eventually obtained by the use of double symmetric composite patch if the two patch configurations give the same stress intensity factor at the crack tip. The three-dimensional finite elements method is used to compute the stress intensity factor. The obtained results show that the use of the double patch technique leads to a significant reduction of the stress intensity at the crack tip. The mass gain eventually given by the double patch technique can be very significant and this gain depends on the patch shape and the adhesive properties.King Saud Universit

Fatigue Behavior of Al 7075-T6 Plates Repaired with Composite Patch under the Effect of Overload

Repair of aeronautical structures by composite patch bonding has shown its effectiveness in several studies during the last few decades. This repair technique leads to a retardation in the propagation of repaired cracks via load bridging across the patch throughout the adhesive layer, interfacing it with the repaired structure. The purpose of this study is to analyze the behavior of patch-repaired cracks present in thin plates made of aluminum alloy 7075-T6 and subjected to a single tensile overload. The sequence of application of overload on the fatigue behavior was also studied. Fatigue tests were conducted on Al 7075-T6 notched specimens where crack growth and number of cycles to failure were monitored for different patching/overload scenarios. A detailed fractographic study was performed on failed specimens to analyze the micromechanical behavior of the crack growth related to each scenario. The obtained results showed that the application of the overload before bonding the patch leads to an almost infinite fatigue life of the repaired plates

Fatigue Behavior of Al 7075-T6 Plates Repaired with Composite Patch under the Effect of Overload

Repair of aeronautical structures by composite patch bonding has shown its effectiveness in several studies during the last few decades. This repair technique leads to a retardation in the propagation of repaired cracks via load bridging across the patch throughout the adhesive layer, interfacing it with the repaired structure. The purpose of this study is to analyze the behavior of patch-repaired cracks present in thin plates made of aluminum alloy 7075-T6 and subjected to a single tensile overload. The sequence of application of overload on the fatigue behavior was also studied. Fatigue tests were conducted on Al 7075-T6 notched specimens where crack growth and number of cycles to failure were monitored for different patching/overload scenarios. A detailed fractographic study was performed on failed specimens to analyze the micromechanical behavior of the crack growth related to each scenario. The obtained results showed that the application of the overload before bonding the patch leads to an almost infinite fatigue life of the repaired plates

Numerical analysis of the effect of thermal residual stresses on the performances of bonded composite repairs in aircraft structures

In this study the finite element method is used to analyse the effect of the thermal residual stresses resulting from adhesive curing on the performances of the bonded composite repair in aircraft structures. The stress-intensity factor at the crack tip is chosen as fracture criterion in order to estimate the repair performances. The obtained results show that the presence of the thermal residual stresses reduces considerably the repair performances and consequently decreases the fatigue life of cracked structures. The effects of the curing temperature, the adhesive properties and the adhesive thickness on the stress-intensity factor (SIF) variation with thermal stresses are also analysed.King Saud Universit