Repair of Polymer-Matrix Composites

Relatively limited effort has gone into developing repair processes and materials for composites, in contrast to the significant labor and expense that has gone into the development of these materials for numerous critical applications. As composites gain wider acceptance as aerospace materials, there is a need to understand the requirements of the end users regarding repair of these advanced materials. This article focuses on the repair of graphite-epoxy structures designed in a variety of forms for a wide range of load intensities. Five repair concepts developed for generic laminate repair have been validated in this article through the required environmental and load condition tests. These include bonded-scarf joint flush repair, double-scarf joint flush repair, blind-side banded-scarf repair, blind-side sandwich repair, and bonded external patch repair. A brief note on thermoplastic repair concepts is also provided in this article.