Chapter 1 - Introduction and overview

Abstract

A rapid rise in the use of advanced fiber-reinforced polymer composites in aerospace, automotive, and civil structures demands new developments in design and analysis methodologies, application processes, and nondestructive inspection techniques for bonded joints and bonded repairs. However, the main focus of this book is devoted to doubler and scarf repairs of composite airframe structures together with their representative joints. In this chapter, the airworthiness requirements for these repairs and joints, and the criticality of airframe structure and damage are first summarized. This is followed by a brief overview of the repair analysis process. Rapid design tools for determining repaired patch parameters such as shape aspect ratio, stiffness ratio, and taper angle are then introduced. Further developments along and beyond these topics will be described in detail in the remaining chapters of the book.