Advanced composite repair technology for aerospace, marine, and automobile applications

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are being used in the field of aerospace, marine as well as automobile parts due to its lightweight potential, high stiffness, high strength, and good damping properties. Day by day, our scientists and researchers are facing many challenges in terms of technological aspects, fabrication techniques and repair methodologies of FRP-based composites for developing new sophisticated and specialized advanced FRP-based composite materials. However, a wide range of defects can occur when an FRP structure or composite is destructed or when an improper repair is done. Based on the rise in the demands of composites, there is an immense interest in the repair techniques for composites to be used in automobile, aerospace, and marine industries. This chapter reviews and compiles the most of research that is related to repairing of advanced composites. The recent scenario of repair methodologies is based on damage assessment, damage removal and repair techniques such as patch repair, scarf joint repair, precured doubler, plug repair and resin infusion or injection repair. Further, this chapter provides the brief information on nondestructive testing that can be used for damage assessment and self-repairing composites, which has the capability to repair the damage automatically.