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Composite Materials Composite materials
have their microstructure designed in terms of their macroscopic constituents,
e.g. fibers in a homogeneous matrix material. By controlling the choice
of fibers, their volume fraction, and alignment, the mechanical properties
may be tailored to meet specific design requirements. |
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The diagram (a) shows
a 'uniaxial fiber-reinforced' composite material, and (b) shows how the stress
on the composite is carried by the fibers and the matrix. In normal situations,
the fiber has a larger Young's modulus than the matrix, and for the continuous
fibers shown, where the strain is the same in the matrix and the fiber,
the fiber stress is higher than the |
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![WIDTH=376](y1c-1.gif) |
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