This standardization handbook has been developed and is being maintained as a joint effort of the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration. It provides guidelines and material properties for polymer (organic) and metal matrix composite materials. This handbook aims to provide a standard source of statistically-based mechanical property data, procedures, and overall materials guidelines for characterization of composite material systems.

This volume provides methodologies and lessons learned for the design, manufacture, and analysis of composite structures and for utilization of the material data provided in Volume II consistent with the guidance provided in Volume I. It covers processes and effects of variability; quality control of production materials; design and analysis; structural behavior of joints and reliability; thick section composites; and supportability.