Polymer Composites for Civil and Structural Engineering

New materials and methods within the construction industry offer substantial advantages in terms of cost, durability, ease of design, and ease of fabrication. This new book looks at the multitude of uses of polymer composites in construction and discusses fabrication methods, suitability of materials, design methods, construction methods, performance and practical applications.

1 Introduction.- References.- 2 Characterization and mechanism of fibre matrix materials.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Mechanism of reinforcement of fibre reinforced polymers.- 2.3 Geometrical aspects.- 2.4 Properties of fibres, matrices and composites, elastic properties of continuous unidirectional laminae.- 2.5 Stress and strain distribution around fibre ends of discontinuous fibres.- 2.6 Elastic properties of short fibre composite materials.- 2.7 Polymeric materials.- 2.8 Fibres.- 2.9 Mechanical properties of polymers.- References.- 3 Laminate theory: macroanalysis of composite laminates.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Isotropic lamina.- 3.3 Orthotropic lamina.- 3.4 Properties of laminates.- 3.5 Yield strength of polymers.- 3.6 Strength theories of unidirectional laminae.- 3.7 Strength and failure criteria of orthotropic laminates not loaded in the principal directions.- 3.8 Characteristics of laminated composites.- 3.9 Design of composites.- References.- 4 Measurements of engineering properties of fibre reinforced polymers.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Uniaxial tension.- 4.3 Compressive tests.- 4.4 In-plane shear tests.- 4.5 Flexural tests.- 4.6 Interlaminar shear tests.- 4.7 Impact behaviour.- 4.8 Non-destructive testing techniques.- References.- 5 Processing techniques: thermoplastic polymers, thermosetting and thermoplastic composites.- 5.1 Introduction.- 1.- 5.2 Processing methods for the manufacture of reinforced thermosetting polymers.- 2.- 5.3 Processing methods for the manufacture of unreinforced thermoplastic polymer items.- 5.4 Processing methods for the manufacture of reinforced thermoplastic composites.- 5.5 Manufacturing faults.- References.- 6 End-use performance properties of structural polymer composites.- 6.1 Introduction.- 1.- 6.2 Specification and quality control.- 6.3 Thermal properties.- 6.4 Chemical resistance properties.- 6.5 Sound insulation.- 6.6 Light transmission property.- 6.7 Abrasion resistance.- 2.- 6.8 Durability.- 6.9 The fibre behaviour of polymers.- 6.10 Repair of composite materials.- 3.- 6.11 End-use performance properties of geosynthetics.- References.- 7 Low density rigid foam materials, sandwich construction and design methods.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Rigid plastic foams.- 7.3 Phenolic foam.- 7.4 Rigid polyurethane foam.- 7.5 Expanded PVC foam.- 7.6 Urea formaldehyde.- 7.7 Uses and manufacturing processes of polymer foams.- 7.8 Mechanical testing of rigid polymer foams.- 7.9 Sandwich laminates: beams.- 7.10 Buckling of sandwich struts with thin faces.- 7.11 Buckling of sandwich struts with thick faces.- 7.12 Wrinkling instability of faces of sandwich struts with cores of finite thickness.- 7.13 Buckling of sandwich panels.- 7.14 Bending of simply supported panels with uniform transverse load.- 7.15 Simply supported sandwich panels with edge load and uniform transverse load.- 7.16 Summary: a guide for design of sandwich beams and struts and panels with edge loads.- References.- 8 Bonding and bolting composites.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Adhesive bonded joints.- 8.3 Modes of failure.- 8.4 Tubular lap joints.- 8.5 Theoretical solutions to bonded joints.- 8.6 Adhesive stress-strain characteristics.- 8.7 Physical considerations during the bonding operations.- 8.8 Flaws in adhesive bonds.- 8.9 Mechanical joints.- 8.10 The influence of various parameters on the failure mechanisms of bolted composites.- References.- 9 Numerical examples for fibre-matrix composites.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Axial tensile forces in composite systems.- 9.3 Buckling of members under axial compression forces.- 9.4 Bending moment on a composite beam example.- 9.5 Sandwich beam construction.- References.- Appendix: ASTM specifications.