Over the ages as we have evolved, so has our engineering and researching skill sets. Even today, we are constantly innovating, researching and developing technology in pursuit of a sustainable future. Throughout this evolution, researches and engineers have found themselves in constant search for new and better materials to optimally manage the performance cost tradeoff in the construction sector. Many new raw materials have been discovered and many ground-breaking composite have been developed, of which not all but some have proved to be a phenomenal success. Carbon fiber is one of these materials, which is usually used in combination with other materials to form a composite. The properties of carbon fiber, such as high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance and low thermal expansion makes them one of the most popular material in civil engineering possessing strength up to five times that of steel and being one-third its weight, we might as well call it ‘the superhero’ of the material world.

WHAT IS CARBON FIBER

Carbon fibers are a type of high-performance fiber available for civil engineering application. It is also called graphite fiber or carbon graphite, carbon fiber consists of very thin strands of the element carbon. Carbon fibers have high tensile strength and are very strong for their size. In fact, carbon fiber might be the strongest material. Carbon fibers have high elastic modulus and fatigue strength than those of glass fibers. Considering service life, studies suggests that carbon fiber reinforced polymers have more potential than agamid and glass fibers. They also are highly chemically resistant and have high temperature tolerance with low thermal expansion. and corrosion resistance.

Each fiber is 5-10 microns in diameter. To give a sense of how small that is, one micron (um) is 0.000039 inches. One strand of spider web silk is usually between 3-8 microns. Carbon fibers are twice as stiff as steel and five times as strong as steel, (per unit of weight). . The most important factors determining the physical properties of carbon fiber are degree of carbonization (carbon content, usually more than 92% by weight) and orientation of the layered carbon planes (the ribbons).

Carbon fiber-reinforced composite materials are used to make aircraft and spacecraft parts, racing car bodies, golf club shafts, bicycle frames, fishing rods, automobile springs, sailboat masts, and many other components where light weight and high strength are needed. Carbon fiber’s high strength, light weight and resistance to corrosion make it an ideal reinforcing material.

PROPERTIES OF CARBON FIBER

1) Carbon Fiber has High Strength to Weight Ratio (also known as specific strength)

Strength of a material is the force per unit area at failure, divided by its density. Any material that is strong and light has a favorable Strength/weight ratio. Materials such as Aluminum, titanium, magnesium, Carbon and glass fiber, high strength steel alloys all have good strength to weight ratios. It is not surprising that Balsa wood comes in with a high strength to weight ratio.The following figures are offered for comparison only and will vary depending on composition, alloy, type of spider, density of wood etc. The units are kN.m/kg.