The goal of this project is to develop a software tool that can be used in the field to optimize the repair of composites by ensuring that the temperature at the repair can be maintained at a specified level for the required duration. Producing the desired temperature field requires the specification of the heating intensity as a function of position and time consistent with the boundary conditions that exist at the time of repair. Since the boundary conditions are rarely known with sufficient accuracy, one of the project goals is to develop a method to estimate them from a diagnostic thermal analysis/test.
We aim to produce a tool that will tell the technician where to place the heating blankets, what the intensity of heating should be as a function of position, and how long the heating is to be applied. All of these results will come from a dynamic simulation of the heating process and subsequent optimization. The tool will be tested on repairs in the laboratory and in the field.