Moisture Absorption/Desorption Effects on Flexural Property of Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polyester Laminates: Three-Point Bending Test and Coupled Hygro-Mechanical Finite Element Analysis
Open Access
Abstract
Influence of moisture absorption/desorption on the flexural properties of Glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates was experimentally investigated under hot/wet aging environments. To characterize mechanical degradation, three-point bending tests were performed following the ASTM test standard (ASTM D790-10A). The flexural properties of dry (0% Mt/M∞), moisture unsaturated (30% Mt/M∞ and 50% Mt/M∞) and moisture saturated (100% Mt/M∞) specimens at both 20 and 40 °C test temperatures were compared. One cycle of moisture absorption-desorption process was considered in this study to investigate the mechanical degradation scale and the permanent damage of GFRP laminates induced by moisture diffusion. Experimental results confirm that the combination of moisture and temperature effects sincerely deteriorates the flexural properties of GFRP laminates, on both strength and stiffness. Furthermore, the reducing percentage of flexural strength is found much larger than that of E-modulus. Unrecoverable losses of E-modulus (15.0%) and flexural strength (16.4%) for the GFRP laminates experiencing one cycle of moisture absorption/desorption process are evident at the test temperature of 40 °C, but not for the case of 20 °C test temperature. Moreover, a coupled hygro-mechanical Finite Element (FE) model was developed to characterize the mechanical behaviors of GFRP laminates at different moisture absorption/desorption stages, and the modeling method was subsequently validated with flexural test results.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (51408424)
This publication has 34 references indexed in Scilit:
- A review of the present and future utilisation of FRP composites in the civil infrastructure with reference to their important in-service propertiesConstruction and Building Materials, 2010
- Bridges with Glass Fibre–Reinforced Polymer Decks: The Road Bridge in Friedberg, GermanyStructural Engineering International, 2010
- Strength evaluations of sinusoidal core for FRP sandwich bridge deck panelsComposite Structures, 2010
- Long-Term Performance of a Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Truss BridgeJournal of Composites for Construction, 2007
- Hygrothermal ageing effects on FRP laminate and structural foam materialsComposites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 2004
- Durability of Fiberglass Composite Sheet Piles in WaterJournal of Composites for Construction, 2002
- Rehabilitation and field testing of an FRP bridge deck on a truss bridgeComposite Structures, 2002
- Advanced Composite Bridge Decking System—Project ASSETStructural Engineering International, 2002
- Effect of water sorption on the structure and mechanical properties of an epoxy resin systemJournal of Applied Polymer Science, 2001
- Accelerated Test Methods to Determine the Long-Term Behavior of FRP Composite Structures: Environmental EffectsJournal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, 1995