ABSTRACT
Most of the subject matter in this text has been taught for years to advanced undergraduate and first-year graduate students at the University of Delaware, Florida Atlantic University, the University of Wyoming, and Purdue University. During this time, we realized there was no textbook offering a concise treatment of the experimental characterization of composite materials. Most current textbooks deal only with the analysis of composite materials. If the present text appears to emphasize advanced composite materials, it is only because these materials often present the greatest challenges to experimental characterization. These also are the materials most often used in structural applications, where accurate characterization is most important. Interestingly, today, many high-performance designs demand the use of advanced composite materials.
