Mechanical Testing of Advanced Fibre Composites

To design a structure or component one must carefully consider the intimate relationship between how the component is supposed to perform and the properties of the material from which it is made. This can be a tricky balancing act, even with isotropic, homogeneous materials. By their very nature, composite materials can present complex problems in the testing of their structural performance. Focusing on composites of advanced fibers in a plastic matrix, this book provides the background and general principles to tackle such problems. Expert contributors examine how these materials react to all types of loading, including tensile, compressive, shear, short- or long-term, and in various environments that might significantly modify their behavior. They explore sample preparation for testing, address tensile, flexural, compression, shear, impact, and out-of-plane testing, and discuss fatigue and fracture mechanics.