Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Cracks formed in steel plates, especially in marine and industrial structures, are considered one of the main factors that reduce the strength and safety of structures.Effective repair of such damage plays an important role in increasing service life and improving structural reliability.Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the performance of composite patches in repairing cracked steel plates and improving their fracture behavior.In this research, numerical analysis was performed using Abaqus software and the J-Integral method to examine the effect of different composite patch characteristics on mechanical behavior.The main variables included patch material (carbon-epoxy and glass fiber), thicknesses (0.4, 0.5, 0.6, and 1.2 mm), and fiber orientations (0°, 45°, and 90°).Modeling and simulation were carried out for single-sided and double-sided patches, and parameters such as Stress Intensity Factor (K), axial stress (S22), and crack opening displacement (COD) were evaluated.The novelty of this study lies in the systematic comparison of patch material, thickness, and fiber orientation within a comprehensive three-dimensional analysis and in the precise evaluation of stress reduction and crack tip deformation.The findings showed that carbon-epoxy patches had greater efficiency than glass fiber patches in reducing the Stress Intensity Factor and crack opening displacement.Furthermore, increasing the patch thickness and placing the fibers at an angle of 90° relative to the loading direction produced the greatest reduction in K and S22.In addition, double-sided patches showed better performance compared to single-sided patches in reducing stresses.Based on the results, it can be recommended that in industrial applications, especially in marine environments, the use of carbon-epoxy patches with greater thickness and fiber orientation at 90° is an optimal option for repairing and increasing the durability of cracked steel plates.
Source: Marine Engineering
Authors: Afshin Ghasemi, Sajad Hajizadeh, Hassan Abyn
Institution: Persian Gulf University
Language: Persian
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7204107371