BE analysis of delaminated Composite Structures repaired with Piezoelectric Active patches

The main target of the present paper is the analysis of the fracture mechanicsbehavior of delaminated composite structures actively repaired through piezoelectricpatches. The aim at issue has been achieved by using a boundary element codeimplemented to study piezoelectric solids, including, as limiting case, the applicabilityto linear elastic anisotropic materials. The assembled structures, made up ofthe damaged composite components and the piezoelectric patches, have been modelledthrough the multidomain technique. To take into account for the adhesive layeramong the host structure and the active patch, an interface spring-model has beenalso implemented. The multidomain technique coupled with the spring-model hasalso allowed the modelling of delamination cracks. The fracture mechanics behaviorof bimaterial cracks has been characterized in terms of the total Energy ReleaseRate (ERR) and the phase angle Ψ, which provide information about the mix betweenmode I and II of fracture. The numerical results obtained have provideduseful information on the design of piezoelectric devices used in the field of theactive-repair technology.