Study of stress transfer in a rectangular patch-reinforced composite with partially unidirectional or bidirectional damage interfaces under shear loading

Abstract

The paper aims to examine the shear stress transfer mechanisms in rectangular patch-reinforced composites subjected to shear loading. A two-dimensional (2-D) shear-lag model was employed to assess the influence of interface elasticity and damage on the transfer of stress within the patch layer and the adhesive layer. The impact of Poisson's ratio of the substrate and the patch, aspect ratio and thickness ratio on the stress distribution within the composite was also investigated. The results demonstrate a satisfactory agreement between the stress distribution solution predicted by the 2-D model in this study and the finite element (FE) results, indicating a good consistency between theoretical predictions and FE simulations.