MAT 542 CASE STUDY

COMPOSITE REPAIR
By
Ahmad Fallatah
Bernard Addai

What is Composite?
Composites are one of the most advanced and adaptable
engineering materials.
Composites are heterogeneous in nature, created by the
assembly of two or more components with fillers or
reinforcing fibers and a compactable matrix.
The primary advantages of composite materials are their
high strength, relatively low weight, and corrosion
resistance.

Why Composite Repair?

Even though composite materials poses excellent
mechanical, thermal, corrosion resistance and
environmental resistance properties, they are also
subject manufacturing and in-service failures.

Sources of manufacturing defects include:

Improper cure or processing

Improper machining
Mishandling
Improper drilling
Tool drops
Contamination
Improper sanding
Substandard material
Inadequate tooling
Misalocation of holes or details.

In-service defects include:

Environmental degradation
Impact damage
Fatigue
Cracks from local overload
Debonding
Delamination
Fiber fracturing
Erosion

Defect Detection in Composites

Defects in composites can be detected by nondestructive Inspection
(NDI) such as
Visual Inspection
Audible Sonic Testing (Coin Tapping)
Automated Tap Test
Ultrasonic Inspection
Through Transmission Ultrasonic Inspection
Pulse Echo Ultrasonic Inspection
Radiography
Thermography

Typical Composite Damages

Delamination following impact
on a monolithic laminate
Point of impact

Dents in Sandwich Structure

Puncture Damage in a Sandwich Structure

Laminate Splitting

Bolt Hole Damage

The damage does not extend through

the full length of the part.

The damage could be elongation of the hole causing

laminate splitting, or damage to the upper plies.

Heat Damage

A local fracture with separation of surface plies.

Composite Repair
The need for repairs can be categorized into three types of damage or
defect; negligible or acceptable damage, repairable or correctable
damage and non-repairable.

Types of Repair

Easy Repair
Complex Repair

Easy Repair
Usually small and does not affect a parts structural integrity.
These repairs are made to protect the surface of the
component and do not require reinforcing materials.

Complex Repair
Complex repairs are required when the damage
interferes with the structural performance of the
composite. It is sometimes necessary to make
temporary repairs to the composite to keep severe
mechanical problems at bay until it is possible to
perform a complete repair.

Types of Complex Repair

Fill Repair: Simple fill repairs are conducted with paste
adhesives to repair non-structural damage such as minor
scratches, gouges, nicks and dings.

Injection: Injection repairs use lowviscosity adhesives that are injected

into composite delaminations or
adhesive unbonds.

Bolted or Bonded: Bolted repairs are usually done on thick highly loaded
composite laminates while bonded repairs are often required for thin skin
honeycomb assemblies.

Damage

Bolted Repair

Laminate Repair
Patch Repair

Taper sanded repair

(Scarf repair)

Step sanded repair

Sandwich Structure Repair

Patch repair

Taper sanded repair

(scarf repair)

Step sanded repair

Repair Sequence of Composite structure

Step 1- Puncture damage

Step 3- Taper sand

Step 2- remove damage

Step 4 - Bond new honeycomb

Step 6 - Repair second side

Step 5 - Repair first side

Equipment for Composite Repair

Composite Repair Setup

Autoclave vs Vacuum bag Repair

Vacuum bag and autoclave processing are the two main methods for the repair of components
from prepreg. The processing method is determined by the quality, cost and type of component
being manufactured.

Recent Trends in Composite Repair

Inspection & Repair Preparation Cell (IRPC)
3-D surface digitizing
Automated NDI
Laser Projection of damage/defects
Automated programmable scarfing
Automated CNC ply cutting of replacement plies

Benefits

Reduced cycle time

Lower costs
Improved repair precision
Improved documentation
Information provided for planning future repairs

Composite Repair Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYcHDPzx1ao

References
[1] S.-H. Ahn and G. S. Springer, "Repair of Composite Laminates," U.S. Department of
Transportation FAA, Washington, D.C., 2000.
[2] J. S. Tomblin, L. Salah, J. M. Welch and M. D. Borgman, "Bonded Repair of Aircraft Composite
Sandwich Structures," U.S. Department of Transportation FAA, Washington, D.C., 2004.
[3] Intake Studios, "HB Composites Repair," [Online]. Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ApVGAy6GzXs. [Accessed 22 November 2013].
[4] C. N. Duong and C. H. Wang, Composite Repair: Theory and Design, Elsevier, 2007.
[5] L. G. Kelly, "Composite Structure Repair," in 57th Meeting of the Structures and Materials Panel
in Vimeiro, Portugal, 1983.
[6] Hexcel Composites, April 1999, Publication No. UTC 102