Residual Stresses in Composite Materials, 2nd Edition

The residual stress is a common phenomenon in composite materials. They can either add to or significantly reduce material strength. Because of the increasing demand for high-strength, lightweight materials such as composites and their wide range of applications; it is critical that the residual stresses of composite materials are understood and measured correctly.

The first edition of this book consists of thirteen chapters divided into two parts. The first part reviews destructive and non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques for measuring residual stresses. There are also additional chapters on using mathematical (analytical and numerical) methods for the calculation of residual stresses in composite materials. These include the simulated hole drilling method, the slitting/crack compliance method, measuring residual stresses in homogeneous and composite glass materials using photoelastic techniques, and modeling residual stresses in composite materials. The second part of the book discusses measuring residual stresses in different types of composites including polymer and metal matrix composites. The addition of nanoparticles to the matrix of polymeric composites as a new technique for the reduction of residual stresses is also discussed.