June 2018, Vol. 245, No. 6
Features
Unidirectional Composite Repairs: A One-Way Approach to Failure
By Casey Whalen, Milliken Infrastructure The beauty of composite design and manufacturing is the art of customization and compromising. When applied as a repair system to seemingly random pipe defects, every design is a customized work of science. On the surface, composite repairs can be easily over-summarized, in the same way a layman may state that all pipes are just metal. The truth is composites have many variables that need consideration but are often dangerously ignored by unqualified manufactures. In this article, I will set the record straight with one common design choice: using unidirectional strands or fabrics. The polymer matrix, or resin, that holds a composite together can h

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