Numerical investigation of cracked metal/ceramic FGM plates repaired with bonded composite patch

In this study, we perform a numerical investigation to evaluate the efficiency of bonded composite patch repair for cracked FGM plates. We explore several geometrical and mechanical parameters that influence the behavior of the composite repair using the finite element method. We assess the mode-I stress intensity factor (SIF) by employing local approaches based on the displacement fields near the crack tip. This paper presents an initial exploration of repairing metal/ceramic FGM cracked plates using bonded composite patches. The results demonstrate the feasibility of repairing such structures and indicate that the performance of the repair is dependent on several factors such as patch type, thickness, adhesive rigidity, and crack size. The SIF reduction can reach up to 75% in FGM plates, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the crack repair. The Boron/Epoxy patch guarantees a higher absorption of the energy transmitted by the crack. Thicker patches show a better absorption of stresses around the crack tip; however, an optimal patch should preserve the beneficial effects of the repair without penalizing the overall structure weight.