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Where;<br />

The Stiffness matrix is traditionally represented by the symbol C, while S is reserved<br />

for the Compli<strong>an</strong>ce matrix. The subscript k indicates the k th layer counting from the top<br />

of the laminate.<br />

Since this Classical Lamination Theory is only valid for thin lamina (Efunda,<br />

2011), there are a few basic assumptions to be addressed:<br />

Based on the Kirchhoff Hypothesis, normals should remain straight (no<br />

bending), unstretch (keeping the same length) <strong>an</strong>d normal (always making a<br />

right <strong>an</strong>gle to the neutral pl<strong>an</strong>e).<br />

Based on the Perfect Bonding, the bonding itself is infinitesimally small (there is<br />

no flaw or gap between layers), non-shear-deformable (no lamina c<strong>an</strong> slip<br />

relative to <strong>an</strong>other) <strong>an</strong>d the strength of bonding is as strong as it needs to be (the<br />

laminate acts as a single lamina with special <strong>integrated</strong> properties).<br />

In this study, all the elastic const<strong>an</strong>ts of the composite, for example Young‘s (E)<br />

<strong>an</strong>d shear (G) modulus <strong>an</strong>d Poisson‘s ratio (G), are only based on predictions referring<br />

to other researchers‘ references or reliable sources of information. Since the main<br />

interest of this PhD is just to study how the overall composite behaves rather th<strong>an</strong> the<br />

specific fibre tow behaviour, there was no specific mech<strong>an</strong>ical test carried out for the<br />

composite repair study. In fact, these composite repair simulations that used the<br />

predicted elastic const<strong>an</strong>t inputs would be then validated experimentally using strain<br />

gauge rosettes at the macro-mech<strong>an</strong>ics level later.<br />

However, this interesting work to determine the tow properties of the composite<br />

repair lamina at the micro-mech<strong>an</strong>ic level should be carried out by other researchers in<br />

the future <strong>an</strong>d perhaps better results c<strong>an</strong> be produced. Hence, the predicted elastic<br />

const<strong>an</strong>t values that represent the generic composite lamina properties, as referred to in<br />

Table 3.7, were used in the development of composite repair modelling. Since there<br />

were three complete sets of data, the next step was to compare numerically if there was<br />

97

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