Variability, fibre waviness and misalignment in the determination of the properties of composite materials and structures

This paper will examine how the choices made in the design of components can influence the properties of composite materials. It will seek to demonstrate that features of the micro and meso-structure which are directly attributable to design decisions must be rigorously identified; and the influence of those features on composite properties must be explicitly included in determining allowable properties. We can then recategorise what we...