Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION TO
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The objective of this chapter is to address the three basic questions
of composite materials and structures in Figure 1-1: (1) What is a com­
posite material? (2) Why are composite materials used instead of
metals? and (3) How are composite materials used in structures? As
part of The What, the general set of composite materials will be defined,
classified, and characterized. Then, our attention will be focused on
laminated fiber-reinforced composite materials for this book. Finally, to
help us understand the nature of the material we are trying to model with
mechanics equations, we will briefly describe manufacturing of composite
materials and structures. In The Why, we will investigate the advantages
of composite materials over metals from the standpoints of strength,
stiffness, weight, and cost among others. Finally, in The How, we will
look into examples and short case histories of important structural appli­
cations of composite materials to see even more reasons why composite
materials play an ever-expanding role in today's and tomorrow's struc­
tures.

• THE WHAT
WHAT IS A COMPOSITE MATERIAL?
• THE WHY
WHY ARE COMPOSITE MATERIALS USED INSTEAD OF METALS?
• THE HOW
HOW ARE COMPOSITE MATERIALS USED IN STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS?

Figure 1-1 Basic Questions of Composite Materials and Structures

1
2 Mechanics of Composite Materials

1.2 THE WHAT — WHAT IS A COMPOSITE MATERIAL?

The word composite in the term composite material signifies that
two or more materials are combined on a macroscopic scale to form a
useful third material. The key is the macroscopic examination of a ma­
terial wherein the components can be identified by the naked eye. Dif­
ferent materials can be combined on a microscopic scale, such as in
alloying of metals, but the resulting material is, for all practical purposes,
macroscopically homogeneous, i.e., the components cannot be distin­
guished by the naked eye and essentially act together. The advantage
of composite materials is that, if well designed, they usually exhibit the
best qualities of their components or constituents and often some quali­
ties that neither constituent possesses. Some of the properties that can
be improved by forming a composite material are
• strength • fatigue life
• stiffness • temperature-dependent behavior
• corrosion resistance • thermal insulation
• wear resistance • thermal conductivity
• attractiveness • acoustical insulation
• weight
Naturally, not all of these properties are improved at the same time nor
is there usually any requirement to do so. In fact, some of the properties
are in conflict with one another, e.g., thermal insulation versus thermal
conductivity. The objective is merely to create a material that has only
the characteristics needed to perform the design task.
Composite materials have a long history of usage. Their precise
beginnings are unknown, but all recorded history contains references to
some form of composite material. For example, straw was used by the
Israelites to strengthen mud bricks. Plywood was used by the ancient
Egyptians when they realized that wood could be rearranged to achieve
superior strength and resistance to thermal expansion as well as to
swelling caused by the absorption of moisture. Medieval swords and
armor were constructed with layers of different metals. More recently,
fiber-reinforced, resin-matrix composite materials that have high strength-
to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios have become important in weight-
sensitive applications such as aircraft and space vehicles.

1.2.1 Classification and Characteristics of Composite Materials

Four commonly accepted types of composite materials are:

(1) Fibrous composite materials that consist of fibers in a matrix

(2) Laminated composite materials that consist of layers of various
materials
(3) Particulate composite materials that are composed of particles
in a matrix
(4) Combinations of some or all of the first three types