Finite Element Analysis and Optimization of Composite Patch Repairs for Crack Growth Mitigation in Damaged Composite Sheets

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22084/jrstan.2025.29603.1259

Abstract

This paper examines the effectiveness of composite patch repairs in mitigating crack growth in damaged composite sheets subjected to tensile loading. Three configurations were analyzed using finite element modeling: an unrepaired
sheet, a sheet repaired with a one-sided composite patch, and a sheet repaired with a symmetric two-sided patch. The investigation focuses on how patch material selection influences stress distribution, crack-tip strain, and the overall structural performance of the repaired sheets. To enhance repair efficiency, a multi-objective optimization framework was developed to determine the optimal design of a multilayer composite patch with minimum weight and cost while achieving maximum load-bearing capacity. Two optimization algorithms-the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and the Imperialist
Competitive Algorithm (ICA)-were implemented and compared. The results indicate that the symmetric two-sided patch configuration provides the most significant reduction in crack growth and the greatest improvement in structural strength. Moreover, the optimization outcomes show that the ICA outperforms the GA in identifying superior design parameters for composite patch repair. These findings offer insights into crack behavior in composite structures and contribute to the development of lightweight, cost-effective, and high-performance repair strategies for engineering applications. 

Keywords


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