Composite Materials and Stress Analysis

A material's ability to deform without breaking, measured by the amount of plastic deformation before fracture.

This material has a lower resistance to breaking when compared to others.

Materials like nanomaterials, biomaterials, and smart materials are all considered advanced.

This group of materials is known for being flexible and less rigid.

This group of materials is very good at conducting electricity and heat.

This type of composite is known for its strength and stiffness.

Rounding the hatch corners is not effective in preventing cracks from spreading.

This material is less resistant to fracture at very low temperatures.

This is the ratio of yield strength to applied strength, indicating how much stronger the material is than the applied load.

This is the maximum stress a material can handle before permanent deformation.

A composite material where the strain (deformation) in both the matrix and the reinforcing fibers is the same.

A type of composite material where the strengthening element is dispersed as small particles within a continuous matrix.

The strengthening component in a composite material, like fibers or particles.

The ability of a composite material to withstand sudden impacts without fracture.

The size range of particles used in dispersion-strengthened composites.

The length of a fiber required to achieve full load transfer from the matrix to the fiber.

A type of laminate where all fibers are aligned either parallel or perpendicular to the load.

The internal forces that act parallel to the plane of a structure, particularly in thin-walled structures like aircraft fuselages.

Strain is a measure of the deformation of a material caused by stress. It is expressed as the change in length divided by the original length and has no units.

The strain offset is a small value that defines the elastic limit on a stress-strain curve. It helps determine the yield strength and is typically set to 0.002.

Modulus of elasticity (E) is a material property that indicates its stiffness. It is calculated by dividing the stress by the strain in the elastic region of its stress-strain curve.

A brittle material exhibits little or no plastic deformation before breaking. It fractures suddenly when subjected to stresses beyond its elastic limit.

A catalyst or hardener is added to a composite to initiate the cross-linking process, which sets the composite and gives it its final strength and properties.

The properties of a composite are highly anisotropic, meaning they vary with direction. This is due to the different properties of its constituent materials (fiber and matrix).

Epoxy resins are known for their superior adhesion to fibers compared to other matrices like polyester or vinyl ester. This leads to stronger and more durable composites.

Carbon fibers are identified by their characteristic black color. This is due to their unique structure and composition.

A homogeneous portion of a system with uniform physical and chemical characteristics.

The process of a material changing its state over time, usually due to a change in temperature or pressure.

A material's resistance to permanent deformation, measured by the stress at which it starts to deform plastically.

The maximum stress a material can withstand before breaking, measured by the stress at which it fractures.

An advanced material category that responds to external stimuli, like temperature or pressure changes, with a change in properties.

A material's ability to absorb energy before fracturing, measured by the area under its stress-strain curve.

Materials that exhibit characteristics that are independent of the direction of applied stress.

The structural elements within a material that can be visualized using a microscope.

A combination of forces acting perpendicular and parallel to a surface.

The force experienced by a material along its length, often found in structures like airplane fuselages.

The maximum stress a brittle material can withstand before breaking.

A simplified analysis where the material's thickness is considered negligible, making it easier to calculate stress and strain.

A scenario where the number of unknown forces is fewer than the number of equations needed to solve them.

A situation where the strain (deformation) occurs mainly within a single plane.

A criterion used to predict the yielding (permanent deformation) of ductile materials.

The internal forces within a beam that counteract the applied load and create a bending moment.

A point defect is a localized imperfection in the crystal lattice of a material, affecting a single atom or a small group of atoms.

A planar defect involves a discontinuity in the crystal lattice that extends across a two-dimensional plane. These defects can significantly affect the material's mechanical properties.

A linear defect, or dislocation, is a one-dimensional defect in the crystal structure that arises from the misalignment of atoms along a line within the crystal.

A volume defect describes a three-dimensional imperfection within a crystal structure, such as voids, inclusions, or cracks.

Mechanical properties describe a material's response to applied forces or loads, including its strength, stiffness, ductility, toughness, and resistance to deformation.

Thermal properties describe a material's response to changes in temperature, including its heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion.

The solubility limit refers to the maximum amount of solute (e.g., sugar) that can be dissolved in a solvent (e.g., water) at a specific temperature and pressure. Beyond this limit, no more solute can be dissolved, and it will start to precipitate out.

A material is considered isotropic if it exhibits the same physical properties in all directions. This means the material's response to an applied force remains constant regardless of the direction from which it's applied.