Inelastic Deformation Of Composite Materials

Polymer composites were introduced for the aerospace industry as light, strong, stiff materials, and adopted by the construction and automobile industries, among others. Meanwhile, composite materials have been introduced to fulfill the uses that these conventional materials could not, such as in extreme environments. The research for new composites includes not only new polymer systems, but metals, ceramics and intermetallic systems as well. This volume contains a selection of recent work by leading researchers in micromechanics on the topics of prediction of overall properties of elastic, perfectly bonded systems, problems associated with inelastic deformation of the phase, debonding at interfaces and growth of distributed damage. Many familiar aspects of mechanical behavior, such as fatigue, fracture, strength and buckling, etc. have been reexamined and adapted for these new systems.

Advanced Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structural Elements analyzes contemporary theoretical models at the micro- and macro levels of material structure. Its coverage of practical methods and approaches, experimental results, and optimization of composite material properties and structural component performance can be put to practical use by researchers and engineers. The third edition of the book consists of twelve chapters progressively covering all structural levels of composite materials from their constituents through elementary plies and layers to laminates and laminated composite structural elements. All-new coverage of beams, plates and shells adds significant currency to researchers. Composite materials have been the basis of many significant breakthroughs in industrial applications, particularly in aerospace structures, over the past forty years. Their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios are the main material characteristics that attract the attention of the structural and design engineers. Advanced Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structural Elements helps ensure that researchers and engineers can continue to innovate in this vital field. Detailed physical and mathematical coverage of complex mechanics and analysis required in actual applications – not just standard homogeneous isotropic materials Environmental and manufacturing discussions enable practical implementation within manufacturing technology, experimental results, and design specifications Discusses material behavior impacts in-depth such as nonlinear elasticity, plasticity, creep, structural nonlinearity enabling research and application of the special problems of material micro- and macro-mechanics

This book presents a broad exposition of analytical and numerical methods for modeling composite materials, laminates, polycrystals and other heterogeneous solids, with emphasis on connections between material properties and responses on several length scales, ranging from the nano and microscales to the macroscale. Many new results and methods developed by the author are incorporated into the rich fabric of the subject, which has developed from the work of many researchers over the last 50 years. Among the new results, the book offers an extensive analysis of internal and interface stresses caused by eigenstrains, such as thermal, transformation and inelastic strains in the constituents, which often exceed those caused by mechanical loads, and of inelastic behavior of metal matrix composites. Fiber prestress in laminates, and modeling of functionally graded materials are also analyzed. Furthermore, this book outlines several key subjects on modeling the properties of composites reinforced by particles of various shapes, aligned fibers, symmetric laminated plates and metal matrix composites. This volume is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and engineers interested and involved in analysis and design of composite structures.