Proceedings from the 7th European Conference on Composite Materials, London, UK, 1996

A compact presentation of the foundations, current state of the art, recent developments and research directions of all essential techniques related to the mechanics of composite materials and structures. Special emphasis is placed on classic and recently developed theories of composite laminated beams, plates and shells, micromechanics, impact and damage analysis, mechanics of textile structural composites, high strain rate testing and non-destructive testing of composite materials and structures. Topics of growing importance are addressed, such as: numerical methods and optimisation, identification and damage monitoring. The latest results are presented on the art of modelling smart composites, optimal design with advanced materials, and industrial applications. Each section of the book is written by internationally recognised experts who have dedicated most of their research work to a particular field. Readership: Postgraduate students, researchers and engineers in the field of composites. Undergraduate students will benefit from the treatment of the foundations of the mechanics of composite materials and structures.

Testing of composite materials can present complex problems but is essential in order to ensure the reliable, safe and cost-effective performance of any engineering structure. This essentially practical book, complied from the contributions of leading professionals in the field, describes a wide range of test methods which can be applied to various types of advanced fibre composites. The book focuses on high modulus, high strength fibre/plastic composites and also covers highly anisotrpoic materials such as carbon, aramid and glass.Engineers and designers specifying the use of materials in structures will find this book an invaluable guide to best practice throughout the range of industrial sectors where FRCs are employed.

Fracture of Polymers, Composites and Adhesives II

This book is an overview of ESIS Technical Committee 4's activities since the mid-1980s. A wide range of tests is described and the numerous authors is a reflection of the wide and enthusiastic support we have had. With the establishment of the Technical Committee 4, two major areas were identified as appropriate for the activity. Firstly there was an urgent need for standard, fracture mechanics based, test methods to be designed for polymers and composites. A good deal of academic work had been done, but the usefulness to industry was limited by the lack of agreed standards. Secondly there was a perceived need to explore the use of such data in the design of plastic parts. Some modest efforts were made in early meetings to explore this, but little progress was made. In contrast things moved along briskly in the standards work and this has dominated the activity for the last fourteen years. The design issue remains a future goal.

The aim of the 6th International Fatigue Congress, besides covering the entire field of fatigue, was to promote the intimate connection between basic science and engineering application by the selection of appropriate session topics.Fatigue is the main cause of failure of engineering structures and components. Making reliable fatigue predictions is highly difficult because knowledge about fatigue mechanisms in all stages of the fatigue process must be developed much further. In addition, the decreasing availability of raw materials and energy resources forces engineers to continually reduce the weight of constructions. This congress presents research results also particularly for new materials, including composites. Researchers, on the other hand, are confronted with the engineering demands. Futhermore, the overwhelming development which is presently taking place in the field of computer software and hardware dealing with fatigue problems is outlined along with the directions of future developments in all areas of fatigue.Close to 300 fully peer-reviewed papers are published in the proceedings, including nearly 30 overview and keynote papers covering the various session topics. The proceedings should therefore serve as a comprehensive review of the fatigue field at the present state-of-the-art, suitable for scientists, engineers and students.

Thermoplastics, being non-linear viscoelastic, impose constraints on testing. End products manufactured from these thermopolastics are often anisotropic and tend to complicate the relationships between laboratory test data and service performance. Mechanical Evaluation Strategies for Plastic Materials explains new testing strategies for providing service-pertinent data within a limited budget. It relates the structure of the tests and the functions that they serve to the intrinsic nature of the mechanical properties of thermoplastic materials.