Boundary element analysis of edge cracked steel plates strengthened by CFRP laminates

• We modelled edge cracked steel plates strengthened by CFRP with BEM.
• We validated the numerical simulation by test results in the literature.
• We studied the effect of initial damage degrees on strengthening efficiency.
• We gave recommendations on key parameters influencing strengthening efficiency.

This paper presents a numerical study on the fatigue behaviour of edge cracked steel plates strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates based on the boundary element method. The models were first validated by a comparison with experimental data in the literature, followed by a further investigation into the effects of initial damage degree, bond configuration and crack type on the fatigue behaviour of retrofitted specimens. Results indicated that CFRP overlays could effectively slow down crack growth and extend fatigue life of edge cracked steel plates, regardless of the initial damage levels. It seems better to adopt an early repair considering the total fatigue life. Double-sided repair showed significant superiority over single-sided repair when equivalent composite materials were used. For the repair configuration presented herein, the strengthening was more efficient for edge cracked steel plates than centre cracked steel plates.