Comparison on damage tolerance of scarf and stepped-lap bonded composite joints under quasi-static loading

Scarf or stepped-lap repairs are desirable for composite structures in aerospace, especially where a flush finish is required. Damage tolerance is a critical issue in the repair design. This paper investigates and compares the damage tolerance of scarf and stepped-lap joints (repairs) under quasi-static loading using finite element analysis (FEA). The damage was represented by a flaw embedded in the bondline between composite adherents. 3D FE...