Comprehensive composite materials

The nature of materials science and engineering is changing. In the future, much more of the process of materials selection and design will be carried out by using computer methods both for the assimilation of properties and the modelling of behaviour. Composites have been one of the first materials where it has been necessary for the engineer to regard them as a structure. Now many engineers do not realize this and still demand first of all - rather than second of all - knowledge of the specific material properties. This is seen most clearly in mechanical design. And who can blame them, because they have been brought up on steel and aluminum. Had they been brought up on wood and canvas, it might have been different.