ABSTRACT
Development of composite materials represents a milestone in the history of our civilization. Along with conventional building materials such as steel, concrete, aluminum, and wood, composite materials offer an excellent alternative for a multitude of uses. Use of composite materials was pioneered by the aerospace industry beginning in the 1940s, primarily because of the material’s high-performance and lightweight qualities. Today their potential is being harnessed for many uses. Advanced composite materials — so called because of their many desirable properties, such as highperformance, high strength-to-weight and high stiffness-to-weight ratios, high energy absorption, and outstanding corrosion and fatigue damage resistance — are now increasingly used for civil engineering infrastructure such as buildings and bridges.
