Splice joint in laminate composite structure

A method for forming a composite structure of first and second sections joined by a splice joint, each section being formed from uncured layers of plies of composite material, each ply being formed from fibers and a volume of uncured matrix material and having a gap edge, the method comprising:

• (a) placing a first ply of the first section on a convex surface of a tool;
• (b) placing a first ply of the second section on the surface of the tool, a gap edge of the first ply of the second section being spaced by a selected first contraction distance from and generally parallel to a gap edge of the first ply of the first section, the first plies forming a first layer;
• (c) placing a second ply of the first section on the first ply of the first section, a gap edge of the second ply of the first section being spaced by a selected splice distance plus a selected second contraction distance from the gap edge of the first ply of the first section;
• (d) placing a second ply of the second section on the first ply of the second section, a gap edge of the second ply of the second section being spaced by the selected second contraction distance from and generally parallel to the gap edge of the second ply of the first section, a portion of the second ply of the second section overlapping the first ply of the first section by the splice distance, the second plies forming a second layer, the first and second layers forming a splice joint;
• (e) consolidating the layers and curing the matrix material, thereby causing contraction of the layers toward the tool, the first and second contraction distances being selected so that adjacent gap edges of the plies of each layer are in close proximity or in contact after moving toward each other during the contraction, the second contraction distance being larger than the first contraction distance.