Preface

The field of composite materials has advanced steadily from the early developments during the 1970s when laminate plate theory and anisotropic failure criteria were in focus to today's diversification of composite materials to multifunctional and nanostructured composite morphologies. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s several books appeared along with courses that were developed and taught at advanced levels dealing with mechanics of composite materials and structures. The failure analysis was mostly limited to descriptions of strength that extended previous continuum descriptions of metal yielding and failure. Beginning around the mid-1980s, micromechanics and continuum damage mechanics were applied to multiple cracking observed in composite materials. Under the overall description of “damage mechanics” a flurry of activities took place as evidenced by conferences and symposia. Other than several conference proceedings that recorded such activities, a collection of seminal contributions to the field appeared in a volume (Damage Mechanics of Composite Materials, R. Talreja, ed., Composite Materials Series, R.B. Pipes, series ed., Vol. 9, Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers, 1994). The two main avenues of approach to damage in composite materials and its effect on materials response, now referred to as micro-damage mechanics (MIDM) and macro-damage mechanics (MADM), were presented in a balanced form in that volume. In the years since then, many developments have taken place that have brought this field to such level of maturity that a book coherently presenting the material was felt to be timely. It is hoped that this book will help provide impetus for teaching advanced courses in composite damage at universities as well as support short courses for professional development of engineers in industry. The wealth of material covered can also help new researchers in advancing the field further. To this end, the last chapter provides some guidance in identifying gaps and needs for further work.