Effect of patch hybridization on the tensile behavior of patch repaired glass/epoxy composite laminates using acoustic emission monitoring

This paper investigates the tensile response of damaged glass/epoxy composite laminates repaired using hybrid external patches. Hybrid external patches based on glass and Kevlar woven fabrics bonded on both faces of the damaged parent laminate were considered. Five different kinds of plain weave woven fabrics with a different ratio between glass and Kevlar fibers (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 and 0/100) were used as the external patches. The intention of using these hybrid patches was to combine the excellent tensile stiffness of Kevlar fiber with the superior resin adhesion property of glass fiber. The virgin and damaged specimens were taken as the reference specimens for comparison of residual mechanical properties and damage mechanisms. Damage evolution and the failure progression of the repaired glass/epoxy specimens were monitored using real-time Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring technique. The Acoustic Emission (AE) results depict different damage profiles and link them with mechanical test results to reveal the load to a change in failure mechanisms during mechanical loading concerning the influence of each hybrid patches on the performance of repaired glass/epoxy specimens. Good correlation of the acoustic emission results with the photographic images of fractured specimens was obtained. Specimens repaired with the equal volume fraction of glass and Kevlar fibers in the external patches presented the most favorable residual tensile response by effectively releasing the stress concentration in the damaged area.