Composite Materials

This second edition of a widely used text offers an integrated and completely up-to-date coverage of composite materials. Focusing on the relationship between structure and properties, it provides a well-balanced treatment of the mechanics and the materials science of composites, while not neglecting the importance of processing. The book has been revised and updated throughout, with new chapters on fatigue and creep of composites.§The text presents a detailed description of how the various reinforcements (such as, glass, polyethylene, aramid, carbon), the materials in which they are embedded (ceramics, metals, polymers), and of the interfaces between them, control the properties of the composite materials at both the micro- and macro-levels. Extensive use is made of micrographs and line drawings to emphasize the importance of of processing, microstructure, and properties in composite materials. Examples of practical applications in various fields are given throughout the book, and extensive references to the literature are provided.§The book is intended for use in graduate and upper-division undergraduate courses, but practicing engineers and researchers in industry and academe will also find it a useful reference.§About the author: K.K. Chawla has taught and done research at institutions in Switzerland, Brazil, Canada, and the US and has served as a consultant to industry, national laboratories, and government agencies. He is currently at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His books, used as texts throughout the world, include Ceramic Matrix Composites (1993), Fibrous Materials (1998), Mechanical Metallurgy (1984), and Mechanical Behavior of Materials (1998) (the last two as a co-author).§From reviews of the first edition§"By employing an economic writing style and carefully selected references, figures, and suggested readings, [Chawla] has successfully produced a relatively short but thorough book.... Clear, concise, and complete, [it] is an excellent up-to-date introduction to fiber composite materials.... I would recommend it." -- MRS Bulletin§"covers polymer, metal, and ceramic matrix composites in a well-organized, up-to-date manner. It is filled with useful tables, graphs, references, suggested readings and illustrations." -- American Scientist§"Overall, this is an excellent book for composite materials research. It can be used as a text book for undergraduate seniors,... and as a reference book for engineers." -- Applied Mechanics Review