Composite Structures 123 (2015) 18

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Composite Structures
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/compstruct

Repairing impact damaged ber reinforced composite pipes by external

wrapping with composite patches
Memduh Kara a,, Mesut Uyaner b, Ahmet Avci c
a

Necmettin Erbakan University, Seydisehir Ahmet Cengiz Engineering Faculty, Dept. of Metall. and Material Eng., 42370 Seydisehir, Konya, Turkey
Selcuk University, Engineering Faculty, Dept. of Metall. and Material Eng., 42075 Konya, Turkey
c
Selcuk University, Engineering Faculty, Dept. of Mechanical Eng., 42075 Konya, Turkey
b

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Available online 16 December 2014
Keywords:
Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
Impact behavior
Mechanical testing
Burst strength
Failure behavior
Composite patch repair

a b s t r a c t
Repairs made with composite patches on impact damaged ber reinforced composite pipes offer distinct
advantages over traditional repairs in addition to reduced cost. In this study, effects of number of patch
layers on the burst pressure of low velocity impact damaged tubes that have been repaired with composite patches were investigated. The tubes were pressurized up to 32 bar prior to impact. The pre-stressed
glass ber reinforced plastic tubes were damaged by applying low velocity impacts at different energy
levels (5, 10 and 15 J). The damaged areas of the affected tubes were repaired with 2, 4 and 6 layers of
glass/epoxy fabrics. The repaired tubes were then failed catastrophically by being subjected to monotonic
internal burst tests based on ASTM D 159999 standards. Changes in the tubes burst pressures were
recorded and the resulting damages on the tubes were studied. It was found that, for all the energy levels
employed in this study, a six-layered patch repairing is suitable for the retrotting of impact damaged
tubes.
2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Generally, metals subjected to low-velocity impact show plastic
behavior before failure and it may be possible to remove the effects
of deformation/damage by annealing and/or reworking the material. However; depending on the nature of the impact, non-visible,
barely visible and visible irreversible failures may be occurred in
the ber reinforced layered composites [1]. The repairs made on
damaged areas in order to achieve the original mechanical properties tend to vary depending on the type of failure. Once damage is
detected and the effects on the residual properties of the structure
have been predicted, a decision must be made as to whether this
composite part should be repaired or replaced. There are cases
where damage cannot be repaired. For instance, members that
highly stressed may not have sufcient strength after repair [2].
If the damage level is small enough to be mended, then the
repair is executed. Several methods such as bolted collars and
welded collars are used for repairing damaged pipe lines. Recently,
composite patches have seen an increasing usage in the repairing
process too [36]. These patches are lighter, more resistant to
corrosion and easier applied than the conventional repairing
Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: mkara@konya.edu.tr (M. Kara), muyaner@selcuk.edu.tr
(M. Uyaner), aavci@selcuk.edu.tr (A. Avci).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2014.12.017
0263-8223/ 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

methods. In addition, an industry analysis showed that, on average,

composite repair systems are 24% cheaper than welded sleeve
repairs and 73% cheaper than replacing the damaged section of
pipe [7].
Most of the studies conducted on repair of damaged structures
have concentrated on planar plates failures. Repairs of damaged
pipes and pressure vessels have been generally carried out by composite patches. Some of them are summarized as below:
Roberts [8] conducted experimental investigation on cracked
steel pressure vessel that was repaired with carbon ber composite
patches. The researcher used standard tensile stress specimens to
measure the effects of the repair. After the repair with the composite patches, the cracked specimens were subjected to environmental loads. Static and environmental loads were applied on the
cracked steel specimens that were repaired with composite
patches and their behaviors studied. It was found that the crack
propagation was retarded and the life span of the specimens
increased. Hu et al. [9] repaired a cracked steel pressure vessel
by using steel patches with epoxy glue. In a study by Wilson
[10], a damaged steel pipe was repaired with carbon/epoxy wrapping. The energy release rate of the composite wrapping/steel
interface was obtained. A new laboratory specimen was created
to evaluate mixed mode debonding of composite over-wrapped
piping. Goertzen and Kessler [11] carried out dynamic and
mechanical analysis in order to investigate mechanical and

M. Kara et al. / Composite Structures 123 (2015) 18

thermal properties of the carbon/epoxy patch material they used

for pipe repair. For this, they conducted a three-point bending test.
In that study, effects of heating rate, frequency and measuring
methods on glass transition temperature were studied. Duell
et al. [12] conducted a study in which a repair was made on steel
pipes in order to reinforce them and stop their surface corrosion.
They used carbon/epoxy composite as a repairing material. They
carried out stress analysis for the damaged pipes having different
geometries by using a three dimensional nite element method.
They compared the experimental results with the ones obtained
from the nite element analysis method. In both results, it was
found that the maximum stress occurs at the center of the damaged area. In a study by Gunaydin et al. [13], where experimental
investigation of the effects of composite patch repairing of surface-notched glass ber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composite pipes
on fatigue behavior of the pipes was made. The pipes have notch
size ratios of a/c = 0.2 and a/t = 0.75. The burst pressures of the
pipes repaired with 100 mm wide patches with two, three, four,
ve, six and seven layers of the patch were higher than the burst
pressure of the un-patched notched pipes. It was found that fatigue
life increases with the number of patch layers.
Composite patches are not only used for reinforcements and
repairing but can also be used in joining composite pipes end to
end. Pang et al. [14], joined two 54 winding angle glass/epoxy
composite pipes end to end by winding them with a ber reinforced composite material. The joined pipes were subjected to
internal pressure and four-point bending tests. In a study by Peck
et al. [15], two composite pipes were joined end to end by using
glass fabrics having different thicknesses and by using chopped
glass bers having different sizes with UV cured vinyl ester resin.
The joined pipes were cured with UV lights. Mechanical properties
of the pipes were determined with internal pressure and fourpoint bending tests. At the end of the tests, it was found that the
pipes with three and ve layers of glass clothes exhibit higher
burst strengths than the eight layered glass cloth joints. This is
so because; the latter had not undergone sufcient curing. In order
to determine the bending strength and bending rigidity of the joint,
the researchers carried out bending tests. Li et al. [16], joined 54
winding angle glass/epoxy composite pipes end to end by using
four different adhesives and a cross layer glass prepreg. To determine the effectiveness of the joining method, the internal pressure
tests and nite element analysis were conducted.
According to the authors knowledge there is no study that has
been encountered on the repairing of the damaged GFRP pipes
under low velocity impacts in literature.
In this study, GFRP tubes that were wound with lament winding method were used. The GFRP tubes were made of E-glass/
epoxy material with 55 winding angle. The tubes were manufactured as [55]3 (six-layered) manner at Izoreel Company, Turkey.
The manufactured test specimens were subjected to low velocity
impact tests by applying 32 bar internal pressure on them at
energy levels of 5, 10 and 15 Joules. 2, 4 and 6 layered patches were
applied as a repair on the damaged area which emerged as a result
of various energy levels being exerted on the tubes. The repaired
tubes were subjected to monotonic internal pressure tests based
on the ASTM D 159914 standard [17]. Then evaluation on the
effects of patching on burst pressure of the tubes and their failure
behavior was carried out.

Table 1
Mechanical properties of the ber and the resin.

E-glass
Epoxy resin

E (GPa)

rTS (MPa)

q (g/cm3)

et (%)

73
3.4

2400
5060

2.6
1.2

1.52
45

Table 2
Mechanical properties of the GRP tubes.
h: Fiber winding angle
rt: Tangential failure stress (MPa)
my: Poissons ratio
Ey: Modulus of elasticity (GPa)
Vf: Fiber volume fraction

55
428.96
0.53
20.48
0.50

Fig. 1. Low velocity impact test rig and hydraulic pump [18].

Table 3
Mechanical properties and dimensions of the composite patches.
Ex = Ey: Modulus of elasticity (GPa)
ry: Tensile strength (MPa)
mxy = ey /ex: Poissons ratio

22
292
0.16

Number of patch layers

wp (mm)

tp (mm)

2 Layered patches
4 Layered patches
6 Layered patches

0.30
0.60
0.90

100
100
100

2. Materials and methodology

2.1. Material properties
In this study, six-layered glass/epoxy composite pipe specimens
with 55 winding angle were used. The composite tubes were
300 mm long, having inner diameters of 72 mm and 2.375 mm

Fig. 2. Repairing of the specimen with patch.

M. Kara et al. / Composite Structures 123 (2015) 18

Table 4
The values obtained from the force histories (X Sx) [18].
Applied
pressure [bar]

Impact
energy [J]

Impact
velocity [m/s]

Maximum contact
force [N]

Contact
time [ms]

Maximum
displacement [mm]

Maximum internal
pressure [bar]

Impulse
force [Ns]

Absorbed
energy [J]

5
10
15

1.26
1.78
2.18

2033.98 117.68
2255.96 24.03
2658.46 101.16

9.10 0.26
11.48 0.12
12.10 0.29

3.67 0.17
6.02 0.06
7.83 0.31

11.82 0.61
16.14 0.58
20.14 0.71

3.81 0.36
8.14 0.45
11.96 0.13

32

5
10
15

1.26
1.78
2.18

2250.68 131.80
2962.49 106.41
3572.38 99.44

7.56 0.33
8.48 0.70
9.24 0.19

3.20 0.11
4.94 0.23
6.38 0.20

33.98 0.13
35.56 0.32
37.82 0.37

11.24 0.63
15.74 0.74
19.92 0.48

4.16 0.32
8.43 0.52
12.06 0.43

thick. Mechanical properties of the bers and resin used in the

composite tubes are given in Table 1 whereas the mechanical properties of the tubes are presented in Table 2.
2.2. Low velocity impact tests
In order to inict impact damage on the GFRP specimens subjected to internal pressure, a low velocity impact device and an
internal pressure unit were used. These two devices are shown in
Fig. 1. The impactor on the impact device had a semispherical
tap, a mass of 6.35 kg and a diameter of 24 mm. The test specimens
were placed on a V shaped bearing and subjected to 32 bar of pressure from the internal pressure apparatus, subsequently. Then low
velocity impact tests at various energy levels were imposed on the
specimens. Each specimen received only one strike.
2.3. Repair of the impact damaged GFRP tubes
The damaged area of the tubes affected by low velocity impacts
at varying energy levels was repaired by applying 2, 4 and 6 layers
of patches. The patches used for the purpose were made of E-glass
fabric having thickness of 0.15 mm, width of 100 mm and areal
density of 200 g/m2. The prepared glass fabrics were wrapped over
the tubes after being saturated with epoxy resin by using a brush.
The wrapping was made in such a way that the patching layers
would be in two, four and in six-layered manner. The repairing
process was accomplished by curing the patched tubes in a furnace

at 120 C for 3 h. Mechanical properties and the dimensions of the

composite patches are given in Table 3.
The impact tests for three different energies (5, 10 and 15 J) and
three different patch layers (2, 4 and 6-layered) were separately
repeated three times for each specimen dimension. That is,
twenty-seven tests were totally performed. In Fig. 2, the sketch
of the specimen damaged by low-velocity impact is seen after
repairing it with patch.
2.4. Monotonic internal pressure tests
The impact damaged tubes which have been repaired were subjected to monotonic burst pressure tests based on the ASTM D
159914 standard. During the tests, a hydraulic pump was used
to pressurize the pipe specimens. When the oil was allowed to ow
into the tubes, care was taken to make sure that the ultimate failure of the tubes occurs at 6070 s from the initial loading of the
tubes and that the pressure loading is linear. In case the ultimate
failure occurred earlier or later than 6070 s, then the test was
repeated.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Low velocity impact tests
The specimens are pressurized up to 32 bar of internal pressure
and impacted by using a hemi-spherical indenter. To assure that

(a)

(b)

(c)
Fig. 3. Transverse cross sections of damaged areas of the GRP specimens under impact energy levels of (a) 5 J (b) 10 J (c) 15 J.

M. Kara et al. / Composite Structures 123 (2015) 18

only the impact energy is related to the failure mechanism within

the specimen, after the rst impact, the striking unit was held and
hence prevented from inicting further blows on the specimen.
Data for force variations from the beginning to the end of the blow
were transmitted to the electronic device by using a force transducer. With the help of the NI Signal Express TM software, time histories were obtained.
Entities like the maximum impact velocity, the maximum contact force, duration of contact, maximum displacement, maximum
value of internal pressure; impulse force and the amount of
absorbed energy, all of which obtained from the conducted low
velocity impact tests at varying energy levels were determined
and presented in Table 4. It was found that all the values obtained
from different energy levels tend to increase as the impact energy
increases. These values were already discussed in [18].

Impact energy = 5 J
300
280

Burst pressure [bar]

260
240
220
200
180
160
Non-damaged

Without patch

Number of patch layers

(a)

3.2. Analysis of low velocity impact failure

Impact energy = 10 J
300
280

Burst pressure [bar]

In order to investigate the failures of impacted specimens, the

tubes were sectioned from the damaged zones. After sanding and
polishing, cross sections were observed by using an optical microscope. Fig. 3 shows transverse cross sections of the GFRP specimens damage areas after being impacted with 5 J, 10 J and 15 J
(Magnication: 8). When the cross sections are studied, it is
observed that radial matrix cracks and delamination are vivid.
The failures seem to increase as the impact energy increases. For
thin layered composites, the bending stresses on the nonimpacted
face cause matrix cracking on the lower most layer and this initiates the matrix cracks and delamination giving a view of a reverse
pine tree appearance [2]. Although the thin walled composites
tubes were used in this study, inverted pine tree damage patterns
occurred because prestressed tubes cannot be deformed easier
than the non-prestressed one. The damaged specimens were
exposed to ignition test ASTM D258411 standard [19] and the
bers were examined. No ber breakage was observed on the specimens for each energy level.

3.3.2. Burst damage

During the monotonic internal burst pressure tests of the GFRP
tubes, ve important failure steps were observed. These failure
steps are whitening initiation, dense whitening, leakage initiation,
oil jet formation and ultimate failure [18]. Due to the fact that the
specimens were tested under open ended conditions, the axial
stresses on the specimens may be neglected. As the internal pressure applied on the specimens starts to increase, the lengths of the

260
240
220
200
180
160
Non-damaged

Without patch

2-layered patch 4-layered patch

6-layered patch

Number of patch layers

(b)
Impact energy =15 J

3.3. Monotonic internal burst pressure tests of the repaired GFRP tubes

300
280

Burst pressure [bar]

3.3.1. Burst pressure

Fig. 4 shows variations of burst pressure with the number of
patch layers for the GFRP pipe specimens; the specimens have
been repaired with the patches after being damaged by the
impacts of energy levels varying at 5 J, 10 J and 15 J, respectively.
In addition, for each energy level, comparison was made between
burst pressure values of undamaged specimens and those damaged
but without patching. It is clearly shown from the Fig. 4 that for all
the energy levels applied in this study, damaged specimens that
have been repaired with two layered patches exhibited no positive
inuence on the burst pressure. As for the specimens with fourlayered patches, it seems that their burst pressures have increased,
however; the values reached required values only at the energy
level of 5 Joules but not otherwise. For 10 J and 15 J energy levels,
the specimens with four-layered patches did not give expected
results. The required results could be obtained for all the energy
levels by six-layered patches.

2-layered patch 4-layered patch 6-layered patch

260
240
220
200
180
160
Non-damaged

Without patch

2-layered patch 4-layered patch 6-layered patch

Number of patch layers

(c)
Fig. 4. Variations of burst pressure with number of patches for damaged specimens
under energy levels of (a) 5 J, (b) 10 J and (c) 15 J.

specimens tend to shorten while their diameters enlarge. As the

pressure increased, whitening initiation was observed and this tendency kept increasing. The whitening had caused separation of
bers off the matrix interface and led to delamination [20].
Together with this, matrix cracks formed in between the matrix
layers on the specimens progressed and the rst leakage occurred.
As the internal pressure kept increasing, the leakage turned into oil
jet and the ultimate failure occurred when the tubes failed
catastrophically.

M. Kara et al. / Composite Structures 123 (2015) 18

In Figs. 57, photographs showing ultimate failure modes of the

specimens after the burst tests are shown, prior to the tests, the
specimens impacted with 5 J, 10 J and 15 J of energy levels; the
photos also show the damaged areas having no patch, two layered
patching, four-layered patching and six-layered patching,
respectively.
Photographs showing the ultimate failure modes were obtained
by passing light through the specimens in order to obtain high
resolution on the photos. Therefore; the ultimate failure modes
on the specimens could be clearly seen from those photos. The
whitening on the GFRP tube specimens observed during the burst
pressure tests appeared as lack of the transparency on the specimens. As such, when the light was passed through the specimens
and their photos taken, areas with whitening looked like dull. It
is important that such a phenomenon is taken into account during
evaluation of the failure progresses of the specimens subjected to
the tests [18].
Ultimate failure images of the impacted but not repaired specimens at are presented in Figs. 5a, 6a and 7a. Impact damage has
had an effect on the failure propagation of the specimens subjected to burst tests at various impact energy levels. In this study,
it was found that for all the energy levels applied, whitening
initiation occurs on the specimen when the value of internal

pressure reaches 170 bar. The whitening progressed as the internal pressure kept increasing. Radial cracking and delamination
which are the results of impact damage propagated and ber separations occurred on the matrix interfaces. When the internal
pressure reached the value of 260 bar, the specimen impacted
with 5 J of energy failed catastrophically without experiencing
leakage or formation of strong oil jet. The main reason for the
burst of the specimen is the low damage level inicted by the
imposed impact. On the other hand, the specimens impacted with
higher levels of 10 J and 15 J did not failed catastrophically. In
these specimens, as the internal pressure increase the radial
cracks and the delamination progressed rapidly through the cross
section of the tube and the pressurized oil lled in the delamination region and nally reached to the surface. The matrix cracks
on the surface progressed and oil leakage started at the impact
area. For the specimen impacted with 10 J, a strong oil jet formed
at a pressure of 221 bar and reached an ultimate failure while the
specimen with 15 J impact damage experienced the same situation at a pressure of 195 bar.
The repair must restore the strength of the part to withstand
the design ultimate loads. The repair patch must carry the load
across the hole and restore stiffness and strength to the damaged
area [2]. Two-layered patch did not meet these expectations,

Burst pressure: 260 bar

(a)

Burst pressure: 259 bar

(b)

Burst pressure: 283 bar

(c)

Burst pressure: 291 bar

(d)
Fig. 5. Ultimate failure photographs for the specimen under the inuence of 5 Joules of impact energy; the damaged areas are (a) no repaired; repaired with (b) double
patches, (c) 4-layered patch and (d) 6-layered patch.

M. Kara et al. / Composite Structures 123 (2015) 18

because it is relatively thin. Thus, whitening initiated at the patch

region and tube at the same time (Fig. 8).
Shortly after the initiation of whitening, two-layered patches
peeled from the tubes due to the shear stresses resulted from the
circumferential expansion. Separation of the patches from the tube
led to carrying of the whole load by the impacted specimen itself.
Thats why, in this study, the specimen with two-layered patch, at
all energy levels, experienced similar failure behavior towards
internal pressures as a specimen without patch. Ultimate failure
images of specimens with two-layered patch for 5 J, 10 J and 15 J
impact energies are shown in Figs. 5(b), 6(b) and 7(b), respectively.
Circumferential expansion for the specimen under the inuence
of various impacts was restricted by the four-layered patch during
burst pressure tests. This condition has affected the failure propagation on the specimens. In this case, the whitening initiated at
higher pressures (190 bar). Therefore, other failure mechanisms
took place at higher pressures as well. As the internal pressure kept
increasing, the patch separated from the tube as a result of the
increasing shear stresses and non-reversible circumferential
expansion. During the test conducted with 5 J impacted specimen
with four-layered patch, the patch split and then the tube failed
catastrophically from the damage area when the pressure reached

to 283 bar. Because the highest stress on the pipe under internal
pressure occurs on the circumferential direction, splitting of the
patches under the inuence of this stress took place on axial direction. The region of the patch ruptured is the place where the
impact damage occurred. During the monotonic internal burst
pressure test, the specimen experienced the ultimate failure without undergoing leakage initiation or formation of strong oil jet. The
main reason for this is the low level of formation of the radial
cracks and delamination on the specimen due to the 5 J impact
damage. Debonding and delamination are shown in Fig. 5(c). In
addition, it is seen that the patch and the specimen have split along
the axial direction as a result of the internal pressure due to the
ber breakage. The radial matrix cracks and delamination formed
intensively on the specimens with 10 J and 15 J impact energy levels. For the specimens with four layered patches, leakage initiation
appeared on the impacted area as soon as patches split. This is so
because; the increase in diameter has led to increasing radial
matrix cracks and delamination; where the liquid oil began reaching onto the surface. As the leakage intensied, together with the
splitting of the patches, the ultimate failure took place in terms
of strong oil jet. While the 10 J impacted and then repaired with
4 layered patch specimens experienced ultimate failure at a pres-

Burst pressure: 221 bar

(a)

Burst pressure: 220 bar

(b)

Burst pressure: 263 bar

(c)

Burst pressure: 278 bar

(d)
Fig. 6. Ultimate failure photographs for the specimen under the inuence of 10 Joules of impact energy; the damaged areas are (a) no repaired; repaired with (b) double
patches, (c) 4-layered patch and (d) 6-layered patch.

M. Kara et al. / Composite Structures 123 (2015) 18

Burst pressure: 195 bar

(a)

Burst pressure: 196 bar

(b)

Burst pressure: 230 bar

(c)

Burst pressure: 276 bar

(d)
Fig. 7. Ultimate failure photographs for the specimen under the inuence of 15 Joules of impact energy; the damaged areas are (a) no repaired; repaired with (b) double
patches, (c) 4-layered patch and (d) 6-layered patch.

sure of 263 bar, similar specimens but impacted with 15 J exhibited theirs ultimate failure at 230 bar. This difference is the outcome of damages from the impact. Ultimate failure images for
the specimens that impacted 10 J and 15 J and then both repaired
with four-layered patches are shown in Fig. 6(c) and Fig. 7(c),
respectively.
The six-layered patch restricted the circumferential expansion
during burst pressure tests. For this reason, whitening initiated at

whitening

patch

(a)

tube

(b)

tube

whitening

whitening

whitening

patch

tube

Fig. 8. Whitening on the two-layered patches.

patch

Fig. 9. Whitening on the six-layered patches.

M. Kara et al. / Composite Structures 123 (2015) 18

the outside of the patch region (Fig. 9(a). The damage begun at the
patch region after internal pressure reached a certain value (Fig. 9(b).
The restriction of circumferential expansion for the six-layered
patch is large because it is stiffer than the four-layered one. For all
the energy levels applied in this study, the ultimate failure
occurred by bursting of the specimens. The specimens with six-layered patch reached their ultimate failure at a pressure of 291 bar,
278 bar and 276 bar for the specimens impacted with 5 J, 10 J
and 15 J, respectively.
The specimen exerted with 15 J of impact damage experienced
more damage as compared to the specimens inicted with 5 J or
10 J. However; the damages inicted include no perforations.
Although the specimens had no perforations, their burst pressures
decreased to about 32%. It is therefore, very important to repair
the impact damage or limit the propagation of the damage. The
impact damaged specimen with two layered patch could not bring
any limitation to circumferential expansion. That is why a double
patch repairing is not suitable. As for a four-layered patch repair,
the circumferential expansion on the specimen was restricted. Nevertheless, for a specimen inicted with 15 J of impact damage, this
restriction was not at a desired level. This is so because at 15 J
impact energy the specimen has undergone serious damage and
the pressurized oil had propagated through this damaged area onto
the specimen surface. The best result for specimens with 15 J of
impact was obtained with six-layered patches repairing. Due to
the patch thickness on six layered patches, the circumferential
expansion in the specimens becomes substantially restricted with
respect to the other layer types and hence the value of the burst
pressure that causes ultimate failure becomes very close to the
burst pressure of an undamaged specimen.
4. Conclusions
1. The cross section of the specimen damaged with 5 J of impact
energy is characterized by very little radial matrix cracks and
delamination in between the layers. As the impact energy
increases, the radial cracks and delamination tend to increase
as well. For all the energy levels dealt with in this study, no ber
damages or perforation of the specimens were observed as a
result of imposed impacts.
2. While the ultimate failures of the specimens damaged with 5 J
of impact energy occurred by bursting of the specimens, the
specimens damaged with 10 J and 15 J of impact energy levels
exhibited their ultimate failures by experiencing formation of
strong jets of oil gushing out of the specimens.
3. As the number of patch layers on patch repaired GFRP composite tubes increases, the burst pressure of those specimens tend
to improve as compared with unrepaired ones. However; for all
the energy levels, a double patch repairing did not restore
design burst pressures of the specimens. Two-layered patches
repairing proved unfertile for all the specimens in terms of
burst pressures of the repaired pipe specimens, while application of four-layered patches repairing is fruitful only for specimens damaged with 5 J of energy levels but not for the rest of
the specimens and six-layered patches proved successful for
all the specimens considered in this study.
4. During the monotonic internal burst pressure tests, ultimate
failures for specimens damaged with 5 J of energy occurred by
way of specimen explosion in all of the double, four and six layered patches. However; for specimens affected with 10 J of
impact energy, only the specimens with four- and six-layered
patches exhibited the explosion as their sign of ultimate failure

with those having two layered patches gushing oil jets as their
sign of ultimate failure. In case of specimens with 15 J of impact
energy, the ultimate failure for two- and four-layered specimens occurred by gushing oil jets while the specimens repaired
with six-layered patches experienced bursting as their ultimate
failure sign.
5. The results show that repairing by external wrapping with composite patch supplied sufcient retrotting of impact damaged
composite tubes.
Acknowledgments
This study was carried out as a PhD thesis by Memduh KARA in
the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Science at the University of Selcuk, Konya, Turkey. This work was also supported by Selcuk University Scientic Research Projects under Grant Numbers
09101030.

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