Experimental Testing, Manufacturing and Numerical Modelling of Composite and Sandwich Structures (Second Edition)

Composite materials can be used in a wide range of applications, including aerospace, automotive, construction, sports equipment, and electronics. These materials have a high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent fatigue and corrosion resistance, and low thermal expansion. However, there are still issues that need to be solved, including high production costs, difficulty in repairing damage, susceptibility to delamination and other types of damage, and characterization/modelling difficulties. Recent research has focused on issues such as advanced manufacturing techniques (including 3D printing and digital manufacturing), nanocomposites (to improve strength and stiffness, or thermal and electrical conductivity), sustainable composites (using renewable or recycled materials), multifunctional composites (taking advantage of shape memory alloys, piezoelectric materials, and carbon nanotubes), bioinspired composites (spider silk, seashells, and bone, and their unique properties replication in synthetic materials), and numerical modelling (new approaches to simulate complex behaviour). Composite sandwich structures are widely used in various industries, such as aerospace, automotive, marine, and construction, due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, stiffness, and durability. To advance the state-of-the-art and spread the recent advances in all composite-related matters, this Reprint gathers a significant number of contributions in this area through high-quality original or review works.