Methods of repairing a contoured composite structure and making a repair tool

A method of repairing an abnormal contoured composite structure made of fiber-reinforced polymer plies, the method comprising:

• applying a first facesheet, made of a first cured material, onto a normal contoured surface of a normal contoured composite structure such that the first facesheet overlays and conforms to the shape of the normal contoured surface, wherein the shape of the normal contoured surface matches the shape of an abnormal contoured surface of the abnormal contoured composite structure, and wherein a structural abnormality of the abnormal contoured composite structure is formed in or under the abnormal contoured surface;
• adhering a core layer, made of a lightweight core material, to the first facesheet such that the core layer overlays the normal contoured surface of the normal contoured composite structure and conforms to the shape of the normal contoured surface;
• adhering a second facesheet, made of a second cured material, to the core layer such that the core layer is sandwiched between the first facesheet and the second facesheet, the second facesheet overlays the normal contoured surface, and the second facesheet conforms to the shape of the normal contoured surface, wherein the core layer comprises a cellular structure including a plurality of cells, and wherein the first facesheet, the core layer, and the second facesheet form a repair tool;
• removing the repair tool from the normal contoured surface of the normal contoured composite structure;
• replacing the structural abnormality of the abnormal contoured composite structure with an uncured repair structure;
• applying the repair tool onto the abnormal contoured surface of the abnormal contoured composite structure such that the repair tool overlays the uncured repair structure;
• and
• when the repair tool is applied onto the abnormal contoured surface over the uncured repair structure, curing the uncured repair structure.

A method of forming a repair tool for repairing an abnormal contoured composite structure made of fiber-reinforced polymer plies, the method comprising:

• applying a first facesheet, made of a first cured material, onto one of:
• an abnormal contoured surface of the abnormal contoured composite structure such that the first facesheet overlays a structural abnormality of the abnormal contoured composite structure and conforms to the shape of the abnormal contoured surface;
• or
• a normal contoured surface of a normal contoured composite structure such that the first facesheet overlays and conforms to the shape of the normal contoured surface, wherein the shape of the normal contoured surface matches the shape of the abnormal contoured surface of the abnormal contoured composite structure, and wherein the structural abnormality of the abnormal contoured composite structure is formed in or under the abnormal contoured surface
• adhering a core layer, made of a lightweight core material, to the first facesheet such that the core layer conforms to the shape of the first facesheet;
• adhering a second facesheet, made of a second cured material, to the core layer such that the core layer is sandwiched between the first facesheet and the second facesheet, and the second facesheet conforms to the shape of the core layer, wherein the core layer comprises a cellular structure including a plurality of cells;
• and
• removing the first facesheet, the core layer, and the second facesheet from either the abnormal contoured surface of the abnormal contoured composite structure or the normal contoured surface of the normal contoured composite structure.