Advanced Polymer Composites and Polymers in the Civil Infrastructure

In recent years, the fabrication technologies for the production of advanced polymer composites have been revolutionised by sophisticated manufacturing techniques. These methods have enabled polymer composite materials to produce good quality laminates with minimal voids and accurate fibre alignment. This book familiarises and provides a background to the understanding and use of advanced polymer composites in the civil infrastructure; numerous examples have been provided to illustrate the use and versatility of the material. Furthermore, the book discusses the current fabrication techniques, design methods and formulae for the design of structural composite systems. In addition it discusses the fundamentals of geosynthetics used in geotechnical engineering. The book introduces the fibres and matrices that are used to manufacture composites, their mechanical and in-service properties and their long term loading characteristics; all these properties are specifically associated with the construction industry. The chapters then discuss the design aspects for 'all composite' units, as well as systems used for the renewal of civil infrastructure. Finally, the book demonstrated the unique possibilities of combining composites with conventional materials to form units in which the various materials making up the unit are loaded in the mode that specifically suits their mechanical characteristics.

Professor Len Hollaway holds the chair of Composite Structures in the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Surrey and is also visiting Research Professor at the University of Southampton. He is a EurIng. and Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers. He has considerable research interests in advanced polymer composite systems and has been engaged on research into fibre/matrix composites for 30 years; his area of interest can be classified under three broad headings, namely, stress analysis, concept development and design guidelines. He heads the Composite Structures Research Unit which has an outstanding international reputation as a centre of excellence in the pioneering use of combining traditional materials (such as concrete) with new materials (such as high performance fibres in polymeric matrices) to explore and develop novel structural components, which are then analysed using experimental and numerical methods. . The group has recently developed significant expertise in laser mapping and optical fibre technology for the characterisation of defects and damage in composites and structures; this latter work is in conjunction with the Schools of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and of Electronic Engineering, Information Technology and Mathematics. He has published over 160 technical papers and is the author or editor of seven books on various aspects of composites in the civil engineering industry. He has served on a number of committees associated with the composites industry including those at the Plastics and Rubber Institute, the British Plastic Federation, the Institution of Structural Engineers and BRE, Garston. He is one of the co-investigators for a national network of research organizations and industry which has been set up by Universities of Surrey and Southampton (Advanced Polymeric Composites for Structural Applications in Construction,[CoSACNet],); this is