Source | Getty Images and SAE International

The Composite Materials Handbook-17 (CMH-17) has completed a new revision of Vol. 3 “Polymer Matrix Composites: Materials Usage, Design and Analysis.” The revision is available for purchase in print and digital format through SAE International (Warrendale, Pa., U.S.).

CMH-17 Vol. 3 has undergone extensive revisions and expansions on numerous critical topics including two new chapters on spacecraft and engine applications. The new print version consists of four bindings to manage more than 2,000 pages of peer-reviewed technical content. The revision includes hundreds of archivable references and documentation of new practical engineering content that has never been published. The combined efforts of the primary authors represent hundreds of years of practical experience on the ever-expanding use of composites in safety-critical applications shown to have significant value in the market.

For related content, read “CMH-17 updates composites data, will publish new Volume 7 on additive manufacturing”

Revisions to Vol. 3 have been made over the last 13 years, led by CMH-17 members from industry, government and academia. The length of Vol. 3 has doubled, with the addition of new case studies, sections and chapters. It includes content that the authors says is not available anywhere else on product development and design of composite structures (Chapter 7), over 350 pages on damage tolerance (Chapter 12) and extensive guidelines and case studies on sustainment and repair (Chapter 14). Industry practitioners reviewed and approved of all new content for the tevision, consistent with CMH-17 standard practice. Revision H includes significant updates to the following topics:

• Bond process, design, analysis
• Certification
• Design criteria, requirements and other constraints
• Bolted design and analysis
• Durability and damage tolerance
• Supportability (bonded/bolted repair substantiation)
• Integrated product development and readiness
• Crashworthiness (energy management for certification)
• Structural engineering technology.

CMH-17 Vol. 3 is global tool for engineers who design and use composite parts throughout an application’s life cycle. It provides proven methodologies and lessons learned for the design, analysis, manufacture and field support of fiber-reinforced, polymeric matrix composite structures. This includes special considerations of environmental durability, damage tolerance, crashworthiness and structural bonding as applied to aircraft product safety needs and commercial/military certification requirements. It also provides guidelines on material and process specifications and procedures for utilization of the data presented in Vol. 2. The information provided is consistent with the guidance provided in Vol. 1 and is an extensive compilation of knowledge and experience of subject matter experts from industry, government and academia.

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) serves as secretariat for CMH-17, which holds regular meetings to create, publish and maintain proven material data and engineering information. This material, subjected to thorough technical review, supports the development and use of advanced materials and structures in aerospace applications.