Prerequisites: IT upper division or graduate student, AEM 3031.

Analysis, design and applications of laminated and chopped fiber reinforced composites. Micro- and macro-mechanical analysis of elastic constants, failure and environmental degradation. Design project.

Textbook: Required: Analysis & Performance of Fiber Composites, 3rd edition, Agarwal, Wiley, ISBN: 9780471268918

Summary

This course is aimed at juniors and seniors in engineering and material science. This is a required course for material science majors.

Composite materials, that is, materials made up of two or more materials, can offer advantages beyond those offered by the materials individually. This allows materials to be engineered for given applications. Common examples are concrete, fiberglass, carbon fiber and metal matrix composites. This course concentrates on composites made with short and long fibers. The introduction of fibers into a matrix results in the composite material having properties that depend on the direction of the loading relative to the fibers. All of the standard strength of materials solutions were developed assuming that the material properties are the same in all directions (isotropic). This course redevelops these solutions for anisotropic composites. Particular attention is given to laminated plates. Then the topics of residual stresses, failure modes and manufacturing of composites are covered.

The grade is based on homework assignments, two exams, a design project and a final exam. A supplied computer program, Lamcalc, is used for the design project.