REPAIR CONCEPTS FOR ADVANCED COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

Single scarf joints of a vacuum cocured graphite/epoxy laminate bonded to an autoclave precured laminate have been fabricated and subjected to an extensive series of structural tests under the following conditions: dry and wet, tension and compression, cold and hot, static and post-fatigue. Several adaptations of this joint to other situations were fabricated and tested under selected conditions. An external patch repair was also developed and tested extensively. Both the scarf joint and the external patch were later used to repair 4-in. diam holes in flat panels. The size of the damaged area to which either approach is applicable appears to be unlimited. All results are very encouraging as to the feasibility of sucessful repairs in graphite/epoxy laminates. © American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. 1979. All rights reserved.