Evaluation of crack growth in cracked aluminum panels repaired with a bonded composite patch under cyclic loading

Crack growth of cracked aluminum panels repaired with a bonded composite patch is analyzed to evaluate the effect of repair. An efficient finite element analysis using Mindlin plate elements is developed. The technique is extended to a three-layer model, which consists of patch, adhesive and plate layers. The crack growth behavior of an aluminum panel with the composite patch is discussed on the basis of the Paris relation.