Most procuring and certifying agencies prefer, and some may require, that composite material systems used in critical applications either be characterized in accordance with Section 1 guidelines or selected from material systems published in Section 3. This section provides guidance on statistical analysis of metal matrix composite data. In addition, methodologies and recommendations for design, modeling, joining, structural reliability, and repair are given.
Special attention is given to the statistical treatment and analysis of data.
Material basis values, being an intrinsic property of a composite material system, are the focus of this handbook. Design allowable values, while often rooted in material basis values, are application dependent, and consider and include specific additional considerations that may further affect the strength or stiffness of the structure. Utilization of data Section 2 provides methodologies and lessons learned for the design, manufacture, analysis, and supportability of composite structures, and for utilization of the material data provided in Section 3 consistent with the guidance provided in Section 1. Topics discussed in Section 2 include materials and processing, quality control, design and analysis, joints, reliability, and supportability. New material systems will be included and additional material data for existing systems will be added as data become available and are approved.