Abstract:
This standardization handbook has been developed and is maintained as a joint effort of the Department
of
Defense and
the
Federal
Aviation
Administration,
with
considerable
participation
and
input
from
industry,
academia
and
other
government
agencies.
It
is
oriented
toward
the
standardization
of
1)
methods
used to
develop,
analyze
and
publish
mechanical
property
data
for
composite
materials,
2)
procedures to
allow
design
organizations to
effectively
use the
property data
published
in
Volume 2
of this
Handbook
and
other
similar
databases,
and
3)
general
procedures
for
designing,
analyzing
and
testing
composite
structures.
In
many
cases,
the
standardization
is
intended to
address the
needs
and
requirements
of the
customer and
regulatory
agencies,
while
providing
efficient
engineering
practices.
The standardization of a statistically-based mechanical property data base, procedures used, and
overall guidelines for the characterization and use of composite material systems is recognized as being
beneficial to both manufacturers and government agencies. A complete characterization of the capabilities
of any engineering material system depends on the inherent material physical and chemical composition,
which are independent of specific applications. Therefore, at the material system characterization level,
the data and guidelines contained in this handbook apply to military and commercial products and provide
the technical basis for establishing statistically valid design values acceptable to certifying or procuring
agencies.