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Bridge Best Practice Example Document PDF

This document discusses best practices for designing with composite materials. It outlines several advantages of composites such as light weight, corrosion resistance, and tailorable properties. It emphasizes that composites require sound engineering judgment to arrive at structurally efficient designs. The document presents two tables: one listing best design practices for composite structures, and another listing best practices for joining composites through bonding, bolting, or a combination. Future discussions will cover bonded joint design options and surface preparation aspects.

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82 views

Bridge Best Practice Example Document PDF

This document discusses best practices for designing with composite materials. It outlines several advantages of composites such as light weight, corrosion resistance, and tailorable properties. It emphasizes that composites require sound engineering judgment to arrive at structurally efficient designs. The document presents two tables: one listing best design practices for composite structures, and another listing best practices for joining composites through bonding, bolting, or a combination. Future discussions will cover bonded joint design options and surface preparation aspects.

Uploaded by

antonellodelre
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Designing with Composites: Suggested “Best Practices” Rules

Dr. Scott W. Beckwith, SAMPE International Technical Director


and President, BTG Composites Inc.
Salt Lake City, UT
E-Mail: [email protected]

Most of us are probably well aware that polymeric composites have numerous applications because of the
properties they bring to the table with their inherent advantages over metals and other materials – at least
most of the time. In many instances, composites are the correct answer if designed, manufactured and used
properly. Composites have distinct advantages in many areas when those properties are designed into the
ultimate product. The important thing is to utilize composite materials uniqueness to achieve the best designs
while capitalizing on their advantages and minimizing any disadvantages along the way.

A number of composite material advantages that we typically focus on are:

• Light weight (lower density materials) • High strength-to-density


• Corrosion and chemical resistance • High stiffness-to-density
• Electrical non-conductivity (except carbon and graphite) • Electrical conductivity (carbon and graphite)
• Tailorable stiffness and strength • Tailorable thermal properties
• Near zero thermal expansion • Process flexibility
• Complex shape generations • Enhanced fatigue life properties
• Improved fracture toughness • Reduced assembly part count

Table 1. Typical “Best Design Practices” for composite structures.

16 SAMPE Journal, Volume 45, No. 1, January/February 2009


Table 2. Typical “Best Design Practices” for joining composites.

However, over the years we have learned that using composites to arrive at structurally efficient parts re-
quires that we design and manufacture composites with sound engineering judgment as our guideline. To
that end, M&P engineers over time have acquired a number of “lessons-learned” and “best practices” that
are believed to minimize design and manufacturing risks with composite structures. Table 1 defines a number
of these for the record.

Composite joints, whether (a) bonded, (b) bolted or (c) both bonded and bolted, also have documented les-
sons that have been learned over the years. Table 2 lists several of those as well.

Not covered in this series are the aspects pertaining to various bonded joint design options: single-lap shear,
double-lap shear, scarfed joints, etc. These will be covered at another time along with a discussion on surface
preparation aspects.

SAMPE Journal, Volume 45, No. 1, January/February 2009 17

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