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Polymer Composites in the Aerospace Industry – second edition Edited by P. E. Irving and C. Soutis Woodhead Publishing, Elsevier, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK. 2020. xiv; 673 pp. Illustrated. £255. ISBN 978-0-08-102679-3.

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Polymer Composites in the Aerospace Industry – second edition Edited by P. E. Irving and C. Soutis Woodhead Publishing, Elsevier, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, UK. 2020. xiv; 673 pp. Illustrated. £255. ISBN 978-0-08-102679-3.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2020

Maria Kashtalyan
Maria Kashtalyan*
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen
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Type
Book Review
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 124 , Issue 1282 , December 2020 , pp. 2066 - 2067
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal Aeronautical Society

The aerospace industry is arguably one of the biggest users of polymer composite materials due to their excellent durability and high stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios. Safe and weight-efficient design of composite structures requires that engineers working with composites have an in-depth understanding of their mechanical properties and long-term performance, and this 673-page book undoubtedly provides a wealth of knowledge on the topic.

The revised second edition of the book summarises the latest research and developments in the design, manufacture and performance of composite components for aerospace structures. The 19 contributions from leading experts in the field are grouped into three parts.

Part 1 focuses on the design and manufacture of composite components for aerospace structures, starting with the contribution from one of the co-editors, in which the engineering requirements that the aerospace industry places on composite materials are discussed. In other contributions within this part, modelling of woven composites that constitute an important class of high-performance composite materials is examined and manufacturing processes for aerospace composite structures are discussed. The effect of manufacturing defects on the performance of aerospace composites is also highlighted.

Part 2 examines various performance aspects of aerospace composite structures such as buckling and compressive strength, post-buckling behaviour, stiffness and strength, fracture behaviour, effects of temperature and moisture, fatigue, impact and post-impact strength and fatigue, bolted joints, crashworthiness, blast resistance, repair, non-destructive testing and structural health monitoring.

In part 3, the effects of lightning strike and issues related to certification and airworthiness of polymer composite aircraft structures are examined.

Each contribution is generously illustrated with figures, tables and diagrams, some of which are printed in colour, with extensive references and sources of further information and advice. The book provides a valuable reference resource for engineers, scientists and designers working in the development of composite components in the aerospace industry and will undoubtedly help them develop better understanding of the latest research advances in the field.