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Dublin City University’s school of mechanical manufacturing and engineering is behind the first reference guide intended for engineers, architects and policy makers.
The first ever encyclopaedia of composite materials intended for use by engineers, architects and scientists has just been published online.
The encyclopaedia was prepared for use as a reference guide containing background knowledge for anyone working within the composite materials market.
Composite materials used in construction include concrete, reinforced plastics, cement and steel-reinforced concrete.
Their use offers advantages such as increased durability, resistance to corrosion and rot, reduced weight requiring less structural supports, and less maintenance which lowers repair costs.
Composite materials fabricated from metal, polymer and ceramics have become widely available over recent decades due to the many advantages that they can provide over single monolithic materials.
This includes improvements in physical, electrical, chemical, optical and magnetic properties which can be achieved by combining two or more materials.
Prof Dermot Brabazon from the Dublin City University (DCU) School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering led a team of 337 international co-authors who contributed 171 articles to the encyclopaedia.
Editor-in-chief Brabazon thanked his co-authors, editors and publishers for their contributions to the project, saying: “It has been encouraging to see their expertise, interest and desire to help others. With the many co-authored articles, there has been extensive collaboration which has resulted in a more informed and well-presented content for the reader.”
Engineers, architects and policy-makers who work with composite materials can refer to the guide, where they will find the relevant definitions, concepts and knowledge they require to assess the properties of the composite materials they intend to use.
Encyclopedia of Materials: Composites is published by Elsevier and is available for purchase here.
