Towards hybridization of composite patch in repair of cracked Aluminum panel Numerical and experimental study

Purpose The maintenance of aircraft structure with lower cost is one of the prime concerns to regulatory authorities. The carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) patches are widely used to repair the cracked structure. The demands and application of CFRP compel its price to increase in the near future. A distinct perspective of repairing the cracked aluminum panel with the hybrid composite patch is presented in this paper. The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative patch material in the form of a hybrid composite patch which can provide economical repair solution. Design/methodology/approach The patch hybridization is performed by preparing the hybrid composite from tows of carbon fiber and glass fiber. Rule of hybrid mixture and modified Halpin-Tsai's equation are used to evaluate the elastic constant. The stress intensity factor and interfacial stresses are determined using finite element analysis. The debonding initiation load is evaluated after testing under mode-I loading condition. Findings The hybrid composite patch has rendered the adequate performance for reduction of stress intensity in the cracked panel and control of interfacial stresses in the adhesive layer. The repair efficiency and repair durability of the composite patch repair was ensured by incorporation of the hybrid composite patch. Originality/value The studies involving patch hybridization for the application of composite patch repair are presently lacking. The influence of the patch stiffness, methodology to prepare the hybrid composite patch and effects of hybridization on the performance of composite patch repair is presented in this paper.