Special Issue: DIRECTIONS IN DAMAGE AND DURABILITY OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS

This Special Issue contains a selection of the papers presented at the symposium Directions in Damage and Durability of Composite Materials, held at Palazzetto Foscari (Venice) in May 2006. The symposium was organised with the aim to gather together, by invitation, a representative group of international researchers, both from industry and academia, to exchange ideas on the current status and future directions of the composites durability field, in an informal setting surrounded by the beauty of Venice. The symposium was the right occasion to celebrate the 60th birthday of a great friend, Prof. Ramesh Talreja (Texas A&M University), and for properly recognising his achievements and invaluable contribution to the research in the field of fatigue and durability of composite structures. The three days of symposium was very effective, with more than 40 participants and 30 talks. The papers selected for publication provide a good indication of the topics discussed during the symposium, with particular reference to the analysis, characterization and modelling of damage mechanics, both at macroscopic and microscopic scale, fatigue, fracture, impact, and environmental effects. I take the occasion of this guest editorial to express my sincere gratitude to my co-chairmen, Prof. David Allen, (University of Nebraska Lincoln), Prof. J.N. Reddy (Texas A&M University) and Prof. Enzo Siviero (University IUAV of Venice) for their help in organising the event, to all the authors for their highly qualified contribution to this Special Issue and to all the colleagues who agreed to serve as reviewers for their help and efforts in ensuring a strong collection of papers. Special thanks are also due to Dr. Ing. Ugo Dibennardo (head of Veneto regional Department of ANAS SpA) for the logistic support to the event and the wonderful venue of Palazzetto Foscari. To conclude, I warmly thank DIAB and the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, United States Air Force Research Laboratory. Their support to the symposium is greatly acknowledged.