Variable stiffness composite patch for single-sided bonded repair of composite structures

Among several composite repair methods, single-sided bonded patch repair is a simple and time-effective method, but its post-repair tensile strength is usually low compared to that of double-sided repair and scarf repair. Despite the tensile loading, out-of-plane bending deformation is inevitable owing to the step-like load path and generates peel stress in the adhesive layer. This study proposes a variable stiffness (VS) patch that mitigates steep stiffness changes at the edge of the patch using a curvilinear fiber orientation and verifies its effectiveness in delaying patch debonding. The damage progress in the single-sided repaired quasi-isotropic CFRP laminate under tensile loading was predicted using three-dimensional finite element analysis with cohesive elements. Although patches debonded from one end in the loading direction, the VS patch with low stiffness near the end obtained a smaller out-of-plane deformation and a higher debonding onset strain than those of the standard quasi-isotropic patch. Furthermore, tensile tests of patch-repaired CFRP specimens demonstrated an increase in the debonding onset strain by the VS patch with a small variation. These results confirmed the effectiveness of the VS patch in the single-sided bonded repair of composite structures.