The selection of a particular material for an industrial product, mechanical or civil structure or system, is a complex and important task. The material will constrain not only the quality and the success of the product, but also its initial cost, lifetime performance and maintenance cost.Composite materials have become increasingly popular in recent decades, for some applications. The aerospace and automotive industries have applied them primarily for reduction of mass when compared to steel, aluminum and titanium alloys, but they have not been as popular in civil engineering applications because of their high cost.Adding smartness to any composite or composite structure will improve its intrinsic or extrinsic characteristics and will entail innovations beyond the ingenious design of final products. It includes a significant impact not only on manufacturing techniques employing the new material but also on the processes that supply the new composite. For example, smart composites will make possible much improved monitoring of the health of a smart system and therefore better control of its passive, active or adaptive functions. Smart composites open up new and fascinating frontiers for research in science and engineering.
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