Developing a Smart Repair Technique towards Buckling Capacity Enhancement for Imperfect Thin-Walled Structures (2013-2015)

Initial defects in the form of cracks and initial curvatures make thin-walled structures vulnerable to abrupt or progressive failure when subjected to compressive loads. The proposed project presents a combined theoretical, numerical and experimental investigation into the most effective approach to regain and enhance the load-carrying capacity of thin-walled structural elements with initial defects through the use of active piezoelectric materials and repair patches. The research outcomes will lead to a promising repair technique to achieve significantly improved reliability and will extend the service life of existing structures.