| Delamination cracks have been found around rivet holes in the graphite/epoxy composite wingskins of fighter aircraft, caused by improper fit-up. Local reconsolidation, a thermal process developed to improve the strength and fatigue life of thermoplastic laminates by re-melting and cooling free-edges to lessen residual stresses, is tested to determine if it can offer improved material performance.;Quasi-isotropic laminates of various thicknesses are constructed from APC-2, using stacking sequence (0, 45, ;No improvement in strength properties is noted, with some tests decreasing maximum laminate strength, but delamination patterns are altered, suggesting that different laminate stacking sequences may lead to improved results. |
