Tensile behaviour of patch-repaired CFRP laminates

The present study examines the tensile behaviour of composite structures repaired by bonding external patches. Various patches of different stacking sequences placed on both sides of the parent plate were considered. Damage development and the failure process of the repaired plates were analyzed and a parent plate fracture model has been proposed. Optimised patch repairs were calculated by finite element modelling. It was found that high stress concentration along the longitudinal edges of circular patches and/or at the transverse edges of the hole leads to early damage initiation in the parent plate. However, the position of damage initiation and the process of damage progression depend pa…