Bonded composite repair of fatigue-cracked primary aircraft structure

摘要

Repairs based on adhesively bonded fibre-composite patches or reinforcements are more structurally efficient and much less damaging to the parent structure than standard repairs based on mechanically fastened metallic patches. As a result of the high reinforcing efficiency of bonded patches "live" fatigue cracks can be successfully repaired. However, when such repairs are applied to primary structure a conservative certification approach is often taken in which no credit is given to the patch system for slowing crack growth or restoring residual strength.