Advanced Composite Damage and Repair Evaluation System

This proposed Air Force Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Project seeks to develop a composite damage evaluation tool for rapid repair analysis. The software system is designed to modify a finite element model to include the damage sustained during service operations through the use of an intuitive graphical user interface. The analysis performed by the proposed system includes strength, stiffness, and life characteristics the newly repaired composite structures. Aerospace OEMs as well as government agencies can benefit from this tool. BENEFIT: The benefits of the ACDRES software tool are rapid analysis of proposed repair of in service composite components, easily creating a finite element mesh of the damage through the use of overlaying pictures of the sustained damage in the model of the component. Potential Commericial applications include sales to aerospace OEMs such as Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, and Northrop-Grumman. In addition the Department of Defense and NASA could see a large benefit from using this tool.