Composite Materials

Introduction

· Light-strong structures are increasingly important in transportation systems. Weight reduction increases the fuel economy of automobiles and the payload of aircraft. Some examples are shown.
· The McLaren F1 road car uses a carbon-fiber epoxy composite material for the chassis and body. Aluminum honeycomb and carbon fiber are used

to reinforce high stress areas.
· The overall weight is 1,290 kg and with 627 hp it reaches 100 kph in 3.5 sec.

From: Road & Track, December 1997