ENGINEERING MATERIALS

(CEQS104)

Composite Materials
17 May 2022

Ms. P. Mutekwa
mutekwapride@yahoo.com
 INTRODUCTION
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Many of our modern technologies require materials with unusual

combinations of properties that cannot be met by the conventional
metal alloys, ceramics, and polymeric materials.
These materials are needed for aerospace, underwater, and
transportation applications
Aircraft engineers are increasingly searching for structural
materials that have low densities, are strong, stiff, impact resistant,
and are not easily corroded.
However, strong materials are relatively dense;
Moreover, increasing the strength or stiffness generally results in a
decrease in impact strength.
 COMPOSITE MATERIALS
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A Composite is a multiphase material formed from a
combination of two or more materials that differ in
composition or form, which are bonded together , but
retaining their identities and properties.
The newly formed material has superior properties over the
individual components
The individual properties of the materials are initial points for
improvement
In contrast to metallic alloys, each material retains its
separate chemical, physical, and mechanical properties
The two constituents of a composite material are a
reinforcement and a matrix
Typically, composite material is formed by reinforcing fibers in a
matrix resin as shown below
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Formation of a composite material using fibers and resin

Continuous fiber and short fiber composites.

 REINFORCEMENT PHASE
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 The reinforcements can be fibers, particulates, or whiskers.
 They can also be made from polymers, ceramics, and metals.
 In most cases, the reinforcement is harder, stronger, and stiffer than
the matrix.
 The reinforcing phase provides strength and stiffness to the
composite,
 Reinforcing fibers are found in different forms, from long continuous
fibers to woven fabric to short chopped fibers and mat with each
configuration resulting in different properties.
 The fiber carries the load and its strength is greatest along the axis of
the fiber.
 Long continuous fibers in the direction of the load result in a
composite with properties far exceeding the matrix resin itself.
  For structural applications, continuous fibers or long fibers are
6  recommended;

 whereas for nonstructural applications, short fibers are

recommended.
 MATRIX PHASE
7  The matrix phase can be a metal, plastics, or ceramic.
 Solids that accommodate stress to incorporate other constituents provide strong
bonds for the reinforcing phase are potential matrix materials.
 The matrix gives rigidity and environmental resistance.
 Metals and polymers are used as matrix materials because of desirable ductility;
 For ceramic-matrix composites , the reinforcing component is added to improve
fracture toughness.
 For fiber-reinforced composites, the matrix phase serves several functions:
 it binds the fibers together and acts as the medium by which an externally applied stress
is transmitted and distributed to the fibers;
 to protect the individual fibers from surface damage as a result of mechanical abrasion
or chemical reactions with the environment.
 the matrix separates the fibers and, by virtue of its relative softness and plasticity,
prevents the propagation of brittle cracks from fiber to fiber, which could result in
catastrophic failure.
 ADVANTAGES
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 High strength and stiffness to weight ratio-weight savings are
significant ranging from 25-45% of the weight of conventional
metallic designs resulting in lower densities,
 High resistance to fatigue and corrosion degradation.
 Ease of handling and installation (hence substantially reduced
working time).
 Higher toughness than ceramics and glasses.
 Easy to machine, close tolerances can also be achieved without
machining.
 Improved friction and wear properties
 Greater reliability and durability, fewer inspections and structural
repairs.
 ADVANTAGES
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 High resistance to impact damage.

 Dimensionally stable i.e. they have low thermal conductivity
and low coefficient of thermal expansion, can be tailored to
comply with a broad range of thermal expansion design
requirements and to minimize thermal stresses.
 Reduction in the amount of material used, because composite
parts and structures are frequently built to shape rather than
machined to the required configuration, as is common with
metal.
 By utilizing proper design and manufacturing techniques, cost-
effective composite parts can be manufactured.
10 DISADVANTAGES
 High cost of raw materials and fabrication.
 The lack of high-volume production methods limits the widespread
use of composite materials.
 Lack of sufficient design database for composite materials
compared to metals which have large design databases readily
available
 The temperature resistance of composite parts depends on the
temperature resistance of the matrix materials, large proportion of
composites uses polymer-based matrices, temperature resistance is
limited by the plastics’ properties.
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DISADVANTAGES

 Solvent resistance, chemical resistance, and environmental stress,

cracking of composites depend on the properties of polymers.
 Composites absorb moisture, which affects the properties and
dimensional stability of the composites
 Recycling, reuse and disposal may be difficult.
 The matrix phase degrades resulting in low toughness.
 Low ductility value and fickly plastic behaviour
 COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
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 Substantial increase in the amount of structures in building and construction
that use Composite materials nowadays.
 The construction and civil structure industries are the second major users of
composite materials in infrastructure construction and rehabilitation.
 Use of glass- and carbon-reinforced plastics for bridge applications - reduced
installation, handling, repair, and life-cycle costs as well as improved corrosion
and durability.
 It saves a significant amount of time for repair and installation and thus
minimizes the blockage of traffic.
 Composite usage in earthquake and seismic retrofit activities is also booming.
 The columns wrapped by glass/epoxy, carbon/epoxy, and aramid/epoxy show
good potential for these applications,
 Provide good damping characteristics and high resistance to fatigue
 OVERVIEW OF COMPOSITES DEVELOPMENT
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The stages of development are presented as followed:

 5000 B.C. – Use of straw in the reinforcement of mud bricks to
reduce shrinkage cracks (Mesopotamia)
 In India, Greece, and other countries, husks or straws mixed with clay
have been used to build houses
 Mixing husk or sawdust in a clay is an example of a particulate
composite and mixing straws in a clay is an example of a short fiber
composite.
 1940 – First structural applications of modern composites in
naval and aerospace industries
1950 – Introduction of composites in automotive and oil
industries
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1960 – Development of advanced composites (Defence
industries) and first applications in construction
1970 – Effort to reduce manufacturing costs enables
extension to new markets (e.g. sports goods)
1980 and 1990s:Technological development of
manufacturing processes (e.g. pultrusion) Increasing need
to rehabilitate civil engineering structures (limited
durability of traditional materials; increase of loads),
requirement of increasing construction speed
 POLYMER MATERIALS
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 Polymers are produced by combining a large number of small
molecular units (monomers) to form long-chain molecules through a
process known as polymerisation.
 Polymer materials or plastics are moldable organic resins which are
either natural or synthetic, and are processed by forming or molding
into shapes.
 Polymers make ideal materials, they have a wide range of properties
some of which are unattainable from any other materials,
 They can be processed easily, possess lightweight, and desirable
mechanical properties, and in most cases they are relatively low in
cost
 Two main kinds of polymers are thermosets and thermoplastics.
 Thermosets
16  Thermosetting polymers: highly cross-linked polymers that
have a three-dimensional network of covalently bonded
atoms
 Can be either liquids or solids at room temperature, placed
into a mould and then heated to cure (set) or harden, thus
giving the desired shape and solid properties.
 Once set, they cannot be recycled, remoulded by heating
 High thermal stability, high rigidity, high dimensional stability,
resistant to creep or deformation under load, high electrical
and thermal insulating properties
 The most common resin materials used in thermoset
composites are epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester, phenolics,
cyanate esters, bismaleimides, and polyimides
 Thermosets
17  The molecules are not flexible due to the cross-linkings, once
cured they cannot be remelted or reformed,
 The higher the number of cross-linkings, the more rigid and
thermally stable the material will be.
 Rubbers and other elastomers are flexible because the densities
of cross-links are much less.
 Thermoplastics
18  Thermoplastic polymers: the long chain molecules are held together by
weak van der Waals forces but the chemical bond along the chain is
strong
 Solids at room temperature that are melted or softened by heating, placed
into a mould and then cooled to give the desired shape
 When heated the intermolecular forces are weakened and the polymer
becomes soft and flexible, when cooled it solidifies e.g. Polypropylene,
Polyvinyl chloride, Polyethylene
 Thermoplastics
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 Thermoplastic molecules do not cross-link and therefore they are
flexible and reformable, can be either amorphous or semi
crystalline

 Generally exhibit poor creep resistance, especially at elevated

temperatures and are more susceptible to solvents as compared to
thermosets.

 The process of softening at elevated temperatures can be reversed

to regain its properties during cooling, facilitating applications of
conventional compress techniques to mould the compounds

 The advantage of thermoplastics systems over thermosets are that

there are no chemical reactions involved, which often result in the
release of gases or heat.
20 Fiber Reinforced Polymer
 A polymer matrix, either thermoset or thermoplastic, that is
reinforced with a fibre or other reinforcing material with a
sufficient aspect ratio (length to thickness) to provide a
discernable reinforcing function in one or more directions.
 FRP composites are different from traditional construction
materials such as steel or aluminum.
 FRP composites are anisotropic (properties apparent in the
direction of the applied load)
 Whereas steel or aluminum is isotropic (uniform properties in all
directions, independent of applied load)
 FRP composite properties are directional, meaning that the best
mechanical properties are in the direction of the fiber placement.
 FRP composites are composed of:

21  Epoxy
responsible for transferring stress between the reinforcing fibers, act as a glue
to hold the fibers together,
protect the fibers from mechanical and environmental damage e.g.
polyester
 Reinforcements
responsible for carrying load along the length of the fiber to provide strength
and stiffness in one direction.
can be oriented to provide tailored properties in the direction of the loads
imparted on the end product e.g. glass fiber.
 Fillers
used to improve performance and reduce the cost of a composite by
lowering compound cost of the significantly more expensive resin and
imparting benefits as shrinkage control, surface smoothness, and crack
resistance.
 Additives
Additives and modifier ingredients expand the usefulness of polymers,
enhance their process ability or extend product durability
 Advantages and Limitations of FRP
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The increase in use of FRP for retrofitting of RC structure may be
attributed to their advantageous properties mainly –
high corrosion resistance,
light weight,
extremely high strength to weight ratio,
ease of handling and installation (hence substantially reduced
working time).

However, there are some factors limiting its frequent use such as:
very high material cost,
lack of design codes on FRP in many countries
 Fiber Reinforcement Concrete
23  Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) is defined as a concrete having dispersed randomly
oriented fibers
 The use of fibers in concrete is to enhance the mechanical properties of concrete.
 Fibers used to modify the flexural strengths, toughness, impact resistance, fracture
energy, and restrain crack formation.
 Used widely in highways, tunnel linings, concrete pipes, reinforced concrete frames,
reinforced concrete beam members, shell roof systems, skyscrapers, pre-stressed
concrete and light shell constructions.
 Reinforced Concrete
24  Reinforced concrete is a composite material made up of concrete and steel
 Concrete is strong in compression and steel is strong in tension and compression,
 However in compression a steel bar that is thin enough to be economic will buckle.
 A simple reinforced concrete structure therefore uses steel in tension, and concrete in
compression.
 Applications of reinforced concrete include: Buildings, Bridges, Flyovers, Water Tanks,
Roads, Floating Structures, Foundations, Marine Structures, Pipes and Conduits, Precast
Works, Chimneys and Towers, Retaining Walls, Bunkers and Silos
 Bituminous Asphalt Concrete
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 “Bituminous Asphalt Concrete” is a composite material commonly

used in construction of roads, highways, airports, parking lots, and
many other types of pavements,
 Exhibits excellent binding characteristics and water proofing
properties and relatively low cost.
 Consists of bitumen which is a black or dark coloured solid or
viscous cementitious substance derived from distillation of
petroleum or natural asphalt, has adhesive properties and is
soluble in carbon disulphide.
 Bituminous or asphaltic concrete is a mixture of: Coarse
aggregates; Fine aggregates; Mineral filler and Bitumen
 A mix design is carried out to get a combination of aggregates
and filler that results in maximum density and high stability
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Properties of Bituminous Asphalt Concrete

 Stability: Resistance to
deformation under loading
 Durability: Resistance to
disintegration
 Flexibility: Ability to deflect
without cracking
 Skid resistance
 Impervious to water
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Thank You