Numerical Analysis of the Bonded Composite Shape Effects under Thermal Loading in Aircraft Structures

Abstract

The design of the optimal shape of patch with a good compromise between mechanical performances and manufacturing aspects can be sought in order to get the maximum structural safety-cost ratio. In this work an analysis has been conducted for development of a finite element methodology to circumvent the thermal effect problem in the bonded repair. Physical and geometrical parameters of the repair material were assumed to be variables, this method are based on two approaches: The first, have modified the patch shape by removing the two isosceles notches (h varied) for minimisation the heating size in the direction of loading. For the second step of the study, the same surface previously deduced are compensate in the other direction with varied the property module for the adhesive layer, for inducing a larger the area covering of crack tip and reduce the thermal stress. The values of thermal stresses obtained from the variation of these two parameters were found to be low compared to the obtained values for initial shape.