Composite Materials Series

Providing a useful summary of current knowledge on the friction and wear properties of composite materials, this book fills the gap between publications on fundamental principles of tribology and those on the friction and wear behavior of metals and polymers. Detailed coverage is given of: the fundamental aspects of tribology in general and polymer composites in particular; the effects of the microstructure of composites on friction and wear behavior under different external loading conditions; and the problem of the control of friction and wear behavior in practical situations. Although emphasis is on polymer composites associated with bearing-type applications, part of the book is also devoted to the friction and wear of metal-based composites and rubber compounds. The data are represented in the form of 277 figures, diagrams and photographs, and 68 tables. The author index covers more than 670 references, and the subject index more than 1,000 keywords. The book will be of particular interest to: those involved in research on some aspects of polymer composites tribology (material scientists, physical chemists, mechanical engineers); those wishing to learn more methods for solving practical friction or wear problems (designers, engineers and technologists in industries, dealing with selection, reprocessing and application of polymer engineering materials); and teachers and students at universities.

This book provides the first comprehensive review of its kind on the long-term behaviour of composite materials and structures subjected to time variable mechanical, thermal, and chemical influences, a subject of critical importance to the design, development, and certification of high performance engineering structures. Specific topics examined include damage, damage characterization, and damage mechanics; fatigue testing and evaluation; fatigue behaviour of short and long fibre reinforced polymer and metal matrix materials; viscoelastic and moisture effects; delamination; statistical considerations; the modeling of cumulative damage development; and life prediction. The volume provides an extensive presentation of data, discussions, and comparisons on the behaviour of the major types of material systems in current use, as well as extensive analysis and modeling (including the first presentation of work not found elsewhere). The book will be of special interest to engineers concerned with reliability, maintainability, safety, certification, and damage tolerance; to materials developers concerned with making materials for long-term service, especially under severe loads and environments, and to lecturers, students, and researchers involved in material system design, performance, solid mechanics, fatigue, durability, and composite materials. The scope of the work extends from entry level material to the frontiers of the subject.

This book presents the topics of major importance toward understanding the most feared failure mode in composite laminates, namely delamination. There are few books at present that describe the phenomenon of composite laminate failure by delamination in such detail. Written by pioneers and principal researchers in various aspects of composite delamination, starting from basic principles to the most current research findings, the work provides a complete study of the theoretical and experimental aspects of composite delamination in one volume.

This multiauthor volume provides a useful summary of current knowledge on the application of fracture mechanics to composite materials. It has been written to fill the gap between the literature on fundamental principles of fracture mechanics and the special publications on the fracture properties of conventional materials, such as metals, polymers and ceramics. The data are represented in the form of about 420 figures (including diagrams, schematics and photographs) and 80 tables. The author index covers more than 500 references, and the subject index more than 1000 key words.

Much research has been carried out and a lot of progress has been made towards the use of composite materials in a wide field of tribological applications. In recent years studies have been made to determine to what degree phenomena governing the tribological performance of composites can be generalized and to consolidate interdisciplinary information for polymer-, metal- and ceramic matrix composites. The importance of promoting better knowledge in the areas of friction, lubrication and wear, in general, is demonstrated by the contents of this volume. It covers a wide range of subjects extending from fundamental research on the tribological characteristics of various multi-phase materials up to final applications of composites in wear loaded, technical components. Besides the emphasis on composites tribology, the great practical aspect of the field in many industrial applications is also reviewed by authors who are engaged in applied research as well as those in more academic activities. The articles in this volume will facilitate both researchers and mechanical designers in their work towards a set of predictive, materials engineering-related models for a more reliable use of composites as tribo-materials. Through the study of, and observation of, the tribology of sensibly formulated composite systems may emerge a clear and more profound understanding of the subject of tribology. In this sense, this book offers a major and critical evaluation of the state of understanding of the principles of tribology and its ability to serve the practical and commercial needs of this technology generally, and particularly in the context of composite systems.