Fracture testing of simulated FRP repairs II

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) have excellent strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. This has led to their adoption in a number of weight-critical applications. One example is in the area of wind energy. Most wind turbine blades are fabricated partially or completely out of composite materials. During the manufacturing process, part defects are sometimes observed. The part can either be repaired, typically by removing the defective region and then applying a repair, or the entire part can be scrapped - an expensive option for 40 m + blades. A local repair is a more desirable option. Repairs, however, result in a discontinuity of the reinforcement and the potential for the repaired portion to prematurely fail in service. The current work details an effort to optimize a resin for scarf repair of glass-reinforced polyester composite structures. Results from mixed-mode testing on simulated composite repairs are presented and compared with previous Mode-I and fatigue results. © The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc. 2014.