Cracking of Aluminum Panels Repaired With Composite Patches

An experimental study of the mechanical behavior of cracked aluminum specimens repaired with composite-material patches has yielded findings that may eventually contribute to the development of more- effective composite patches and of techniques for predicting and detecting failures in composite-patched aluminum aircraft panels. Some prior studies have addressed various aspects of composite-patch repair of aluminum specimens, but until now, little attention has been given to such important aspects of mechanical behavior and properties as the relationships among stress, strain, and growth of cracks through-out the lifetimes of specimens. In this study, effects of initiation and growth of cracks on the residual strengths of the patched specimens were characterized. This study established a correlation among damage modes, residual strengths, and evolution of strain inside and outside the patched areas.