Sims, G D (2002) Traceability and qualification in design with composite materials. NPL Report. MATC(A)81

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Abstract

The availability of design cods, test method standards and specifications standards is crucial for the growth of the market for composite material products and thereby the growth of the designers, fabricators and users of these materials, which are predominately SME. This report concentrates on the necessary infrastructure of material standards and specifications in support of the qualifications and traceability of formal approval and design procedures or codes for composite materials products. These infrastructure 'tools' will be increasingly important with the arrival of further 'safety orientated' European Union Directives and other regulatory requirements.
The development of an infrastructure to support the use of composite components has been a major target of the work at NPL for the last few years. Initially, the work concentrated on harmonisation and rationalisation of the multitude of similar materials test methods. Excellent progress was made in the drafting and balloting of several short-term test methods that have been published over the last few years as BS EN ISO standards, achieving a high level of harmonisation with ASTM test methods. These test methods now form the basis of an ISO database standard aimed at satisfying the technical data-sheet level.
The next requirement is to integrate these new test methods into producer design standards and specifications. This has been started with the European specification standard for pultruded profiles developed by NPL in liaison with the European Pultrusion Industry. At a level of full product design codes, contributions are being made by several organisations including international standards bodies (eg CEN, ISO) and other regulatory bodies. This report reviews the infrastructure now existing and assess its integration into composite materials product specifications and design codes, together with identifying the reverse demands of design codes on the supporting infrastructure.

Item Type:	Report/Guide (NPL Report)
NPL Report No.:	MATC(A)81
Subjects:	Advanced Materials Advanced Materials > Composites
Last Modified:	02 Feb 2018 13:17
URI:	http://eprintspublications.npl.co.uk/id/eprint/2311

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