This book introduces the engineer to fibres and polymer matrices, which are the components of the polymer composites for structural engineering. The authors also provide a simple guide, in tabular form, to the principal fabrication techniques, the basic design formulae, and the methods for structural composites systems and connections.

Offers information on the fundamental principles, processes, methods and procedures related to fibre-reinforced composites. The book presents a comparative view, and provides design properties of polymeric, metal, ceramic and cement matrix composites. It also gives current test methods, joining techniques and design methodologies.

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have become an integral part of the construction industry because of their versatility, enhanced durability and resistance to fatigue and corrosion, high strength-to-weight ratio, accelerated construction, and lower maintenance and life-cycle costs. Advanced FRP composite materials are also emerging for a wide range of civil infrastructure applications. These include everything from bridge decks, bridge strengthening and repairs, and seismic retrofit to marine waterfront structures and sustainable, energy-efficient housing. The International Handbook of FRP Composites in Civil Engineering brings together a wealth of information on advances in materials, techniques, practices, nondestructive testing, and structural health monitoring of FRP composites, specifically for civil infrastructure. With a focus on professional applications, the handbook supplies design guidelines and standards of practice from around the world. It also includes helpful design formulas, tables, and charts to provide immediate answers to common questions. Organized into seven parts, the handbook covers: FRP fundamentals, including history, codes and standards, manufacturing, materials, mechanics, and life-cycle costs Bridge deck applications and the critical topic of connection design for FRP structural members External reinforcement for rehabilitation, including the strengthening of reinforced concrete, masonry, wood, and metallic structures FRP composites for the reinforcement of concrete structures, including material characteristics, design procedures, and quality assurance–quality control (QA/QC) issues Hybrid FRP composite systems, with an emphasis on design, construction, QA/QC, and repair Quality control, quality assurance, and evaluation using nondestructive testing, and in-service monitoring using structural health monitoring of FRP composites, including smart composites that can actively sense and respond to the environment and internal states FRP-related books, journals, conference proceedings, organizations, and research sources Comprehensive yet concise, this is an invaluable reference for practicing engineers and construction professionals, as well as researchers and students. It offers ready-to-use information on how FRP composites can be more effectively utilized in new construction, repair and reconstruction, and architectural engineering.

This handbook is part of a four volume handbook, intended to provide an overview of the theory and application of polymer blends and composites. Practical and theoretical investigations are presented, aimed at generating an understanding of the fundamental nature of polymer mixtures and composites and describing progress in the thermodynamics of mixing (both in solution and solid state) of binary and multi-component systems.

The second volume of this six-volume compendium contains statistically-based data for polymer matrix composites that meets specific CMH-17 population sampling and data documentation requirements, covering material systems of general interest. Selected historical data from previous versions of the handbook that do not meet current data sampling, test methodology, or documentation requirements, but that still are of potential interest to industry are also included in this volume. The Composite Materials Handbook, referred to by industry groups as CMH-17, is a six-volume engineering reference tool that contains over 1,000 records of the latest test data for polymer matrix, metal matrix, ceramic matrix, and structural sandwich composites. CMH-17 provides information and guidance necessary to design and fabricate end items from composite materials. It includes properties of composite materials that meet specific data requirements as well as guidelines for design, analysis, material selection, manufacturing, quality control, and repair. The primary purpose of the handbook is to standardize engineering methodologies related to testing, data reduction, and reporting of property data for current and emerging composite materials. It is used by engineers worldwide in designing and fabricating products made from composite materials.

This Handbook is the first to explore the extensive applications made with bioplastics & biocomposites for the packaging, automotive, biomedical, and construction industries. Bioplastics and biocomposites are becoming increasingly prominent because synthetic plastics and glass fiber composites are neither sustainable nor environmentally friendly. The Handbook of Bioplastics and Biocomposites Engineering Applications brings together scientists from academia and industry to report on current research and applications in the bioplastics and biocomposites arena. This new science is interdisciplinary and integrates pure and applied sciences such as chemistry, engineering and materials science. The Handbook focuses on five main categories of applications: Packaging; Civil Engineering; Biomedical; Automotive; General Engineering. The majority of the chapters review the properties, processing, characterization, synthesis and applications of the bio-based and biodegradable polymers and composites including: Polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), guar gum based plastics, cellulose polyesters, starch based bioplastics, vegetable oil derived bioplastics, biopolyethylene, chitosan, etc. Thermoplastic and thermosetting bioplastics and biocomposites with a focus on the automobile industry. The ways how to improve the properties of bioplastics, polymer blends, and biocomposites by combining them with both synthetic and natural fillers and reinforcements such as nanoclays, nanotubes (CNTs), and natural fibers (both wood and plant fibers). Studies that expand the boundaries of bioplastics that will allow for the new materials to be applied to most generic engineering applications. The Handbook will be of central interest to engineers, scientists and researchers who are working in the fields of bioplastics, biocomposites, biomaterials for biomedical engineering, biochemistry, and materials science. The book will also be of great importance to engineers in many industries including automotive, biomedical, construction, and food packaging.