Bonded repair size limit studies of representation composite wing panel

icaf2023 Tracking Number 107

The Federal Aviation Administration and The Boeing Company have been investigating the safety and structural integrity issues of bonded repair technology. Under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA), efforts are focused on testing and analyzing bonded repairs to representative composite wing panels using the Aircraft Beam Structural Test (ABST) fixture, an innovative structural test capability at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center. The program objectives are to characterize the fatigue and damage tolerance performance of bonded repairs subjected to simulated service load and to evaluate the limit load capability of a typical composite wing panel of transport category aircraft with a failed repair patch. Emphasis has been placed on investigating methods and tools used to conduct analysis and performance predictions of bonded repairs as well as those used to monitor and evaluate repair quality over the life of the part. The initial phases of the program supported ABST fixture development, verified analysis models, and provided an initial reference point for inspection and monitoring systems used to detect and track damage formation. Current efforts support bonded repair size limit (BRSL) studies, which includes a redundant strength check with the repair patch removed, and methods used to predict the limit load residual strength for a variety of composite systems including solid laminate, honeycomb and thermoplastic panels. This paper/presentation will provide the ICAF community an overview and update of this multi-phase collaborative program.