Chapter 52: Advanced polymer composites

The design and analysis of fibre-reinforced polymer composite structural members requires a detailed knowledge of the properties of the constituent materials which form the structural members; these have been given in the chapter on Characterisation of fibre and matrix materials used in construction. The manufacture of advanced polymer composites is by the impregnation of the matrix material into the fibre. The mechanical properties of the composite will be highly dependent upon the method of manufacture, the arrangement, the direction and the volume fraction of the fibre; the fibre array in the polymer will dictate whether the material has the properties of anisotropy or isotropy. These points will be discussed in this chapter. The environment into which the composite is placed is important to enable the design of the in-service properties of it to be undertaken; the understanding of the long-term durability of the fibre–matrix composite is also of great importance and will be discussed in this chapter.