COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Composite Materials
It is a combination of two materials with different physical and chemical properties.
These materials usually combine the best properties of their constituents and frequently exhibit
qualities that do not even exist in their constituents.

Common Composite Materials

Ceramic Matrix Composite:

Ceramic spread out in a ceramic matrix.
Thermal shock and fracture resistant.

Metal Matrix Composite:

A metal spread throughout a matrix.

Reinforced Concrete:
Concrete strengthened by a material with high tensile strength such as steel reinforcing bars.

Glass Fibre Reinforced Concrete:

Concrete poured into a glass fibre structure with high zirconia content.

Translucent Concrete:
Concrete encasing optic fibres.

Engineered Wood:
Manufactured wood combined with other cheap materials.
Engineered wood by gluing many thin layers of wood together at different angles.

Plywood:
Engineered wood by gluing many thin layers of wood together at different angles.
Example: Plywood engineered bamboo.

Parquetry:
A square of many wood pieces put together often out of hardwood.

Wood-Plastic Composite:
Either wood fibre or flour cast in plastic.

Cement-Bonded Wood Fibre:

Mineralised wood pieces cast in cement.
Insulating and acoustic properties.

Fibreglass:
Glass fibre combined with a relatively inexpensive and flexible plastic.

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer:

Carbon fibre set in plastic with a high strength-to-weight ratio.

Sandwich Panel:
A variety of composites that are layered on top of each other.
Composite Honeycomb:
A selection of composites in many hexagons to form a honeycomb shape.

Syntactic Foams:
Light materials created by filling metals, ceramics, or plastics with microballoons made using glass,
carbon, or plastic.

A CLASSIFICATION SCHEME FOR COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Composites
Microscopic Macroscopic
- Fiber-reinforced
- Particle-reinforced
Macroscopic

Microscopic Composites
Many microscopic composite materials consist of two constituent phases: a continuous phase, or
matrix, and the dispersed phase or reinforcing phase, which is surrounded by the matrix. The
dispersed phase is harder and stiffer than the matrix.
Microscopic composites fall into two basic classes:
Fiber-Reinforced
Particle-Reinforced

Fiber-Reinforced Composites:
Fiber-reinforced microscopic composites consist of fibers dispersed in a matrix, such as metal or
polymer.
Fibers possess a high strength-to-diameter ratio, with near crystal-sized diameters, making them
much stronger than the bulk material.
Fibers can be classified based on their diameter and character as whiskers, fibers, and wires.
Fibers are manufactured from various materials, including glass, carbon, graphite, polymer, boron,
ceramic, and silicon carbide.

Particle-Reinforced Composites:
Particle-reinforced composites involve particles dispersed in a matrix phase, where the strengthening
mechanism varies with the size of the reinforcing particles.
The applied load is shared by the matrix and dispersed phases, with a stronger bond between them
leading to a larger reinforcing effect.
An example of particle reinforcing is adding fillers to polymers to enhance various properties like
tensile and compressive strengths, abrasion resistance, toughness, and thermal properties.

Matrix Phase:
The matrix, typically polymer (plastic) or metal, binds the dispersed materials together in most
microscopic composites.
It transfers loads to the dispersed materials, protecting them against environmental attack and
damage due to handling.
Common metals used as the matrix phase include aluminum and titanium alloys.

Fabrication:
Fabrication of microscopic composites involves merging the matrix and dispersed material into a
product with minimal air voids.
The selection of the fabrication process depends on factors such as the chemical nature of the matrix
and dispersed phases, shape and strength requirements, and the temperature needed for forming,
melting, or curing the matrix.
Pultrusion is an automated process used for manufacturing fiber-reinforced composite materials into
continuous, constant-cross-section profiles.

Civil Engineering Applications of Composite Materials:

Composite materials, including both microscopic and macroscopic composites, have found extensive
use in civil and construction engineering over the past few decades. These materials often compete
with or are preferred over conventional building materials due to their unique properties and
advantages.

Macroscopic Composite Materials in Civil Engineering:

Used in many engineering applications, macroscopic composites are relatively large, carrying loads
and exhibiting varying properties across different composite components.
Common macroscopic composites used in many engineering applications include plain Portland
cement concrete, steel-reinforced concrete, asphalt concrete, and engineered woods such as
glued-laminated timber.

Plain Portland Cement Concrete:

Consists of cement paste and aggregate particles with different physical and mechanical properties.
Aggregate particles act as filler material, cheaper than portland cement.

Reinforced Portland Cement Concrete:

Includes steel rebars along with plain concrete.
Steel rebars are added in areas subjected to tension, compensating for concrete's low tensile
strength.

Asphalt Concrete:
Used on pavements, with asphalt acting as a binder preventing slipping of aggregate particles.

Engineered Wood:
Manufactured by bonding wood strands, veneers, or lumber with different grain orientations.
Products include plywood, oriented strand boards, composite panels, glued-laminated timber (glulam),
laminated veneer lumber, parallel strand lumber, oriented strand lumber, and wood I-joists.

Properties of Composites:
The properties are influenced by component properties, volume fractions, type and orientation of
dispersed phase, and bond between dispersed phase and matrix.
Equations can estimate composite properties under idealized material properties, loading patterns,
and geometrical conditions.
Assumptions for simplification include linear, elastic, and isotropic properties for each component,
perfect bond between phases, and idealized composite geometry with loading patterns parallel or
perpendicular to reinforcing fibers.