What are Composites?
Composites are defined as materials which consist of not
less than two different component materials, neither of
which are well suited for construction purposes on their own, but
which in combination result in a very strong and rigid material.
Composites can be divided roughly into two groups:
synthetic materials reinforced with short fibres, and
synthetic materials reinforced with long (continual) fibres.
In fibre-reinforced plastic materials, the properties of the fibres
are used to resist tensile and compressive loads, while the plastic
– the matrix material – transfers shear.
When using composite materials instead of traditional
materials such as steel, for example, there are normally
significant reductions in weight due, in part, to the specific
properties of the individual components and low dead weight, and
partly because it is possible to produce composites for specific
purposes.
Because it is a combination of materials, a composite product
can be combined and designed with a view to specific load-bearing
capacities, while providing a number of advantages in relation to
traditional materials, such as resistance to chemicals, as well as
electrical and thermal insulating properties.