Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structures

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.

Theory and Analysis of Laminated Composite Plates.- Micromechanics Analysis of Composite Materials.- Prediction of the Effective Damage Properties and Failure Properties of Non Linear Anisotropic Discontinuous Reinforced Composites.- Mechanics of Three-Dimensional Textile Structural Composites: Processing.- Mechanics of Three-Dimensional Textile Structural Composites: Analysis.- Mechanics of Three-Dimensional Textile Structural Composites: Performance Modeling.- Testing and Modeling of Inelastic Behavior of Fibrous Composites.- Characterization of Strain Rate-Dependent Behavior in Polymeric Composites.- A Treatment of Interfacial Cracks in the Presence of Friction.- Impact and High Rate Testing of Composites: An Overview.- Impact and High Rate Testing of Composites: High Rate Delamination Testing.- Composite for Marine Applications Part 1. Testing of Materials and Structures for Surface Vessels.- Composite for Marine Applications Part 2. Underwater Structures.- Examples fo Non-Destructive Testing of Glass- and Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composites.- Towards Standardised Intertaminar Fracture Tests for Unidirectional Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Matrix Composites.- Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermoset and Thermoplastic Matrices for Continuous Fibre Composites.- Hygrothermal Ageing of Glass Reinforced Composite Pipes.- Composite Pipes Based on Thermoplastic Matrices Reinforced by Continuous Fibres.- Impact Damage of Composite Structures.- Remarks on Linear and Nonlinear Variational Design Sensitivity Analysis.- Remarks on Computing the Energy Release Rate and its Sensitivities.- Some Remarks on Robust Design.- Optimization of Thin-Walled Structures.- Theory and Computation of Multilayer Composites.- Theory and Computation of Damage and Failure of Composites.-Optimal Design of Composite Structures with Integrated Piezoelectric Laminae.- Optimization of Composite Structures Using Response Surface Approximations.- Genetic Algorithms for Optimization of Composite Laminates.- Identification Techniques in Composite Laminates.- Sensitivity Analysis and Inverse Problems for Laminates and Materials.- Asymptotic Approach to Optimal Structural Design with Brittle-Fracture Constraints Part 1: Prototype Problem.- Asymptotic Approach to Optimal Structural Design with Brittle-Fracture Constraints Part 2: Deterministic and Stochastic Problems.- Some Composite Structures Experiences at NASA Langley Research Center.- Prospects os Smart Structures for Future Aircraft.