Durability prediction of FRP composite materials under hygrothermal environment

This paper proposes a novel degradation model of mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced-polymer(FRP) composites under hygrothermal environment. The influence of moisture concentration, temperature and the long-term effects of hydrolysis are considered in the degradation model. The experimental data of E-glass/Vinylester under five hygrothermal environment conditions is used for the model validation and comparative study with traditional models. The results show that the prediction results correspond well with the experimental data. Comparative study shows that the proposed model has better accuracy in predicting the FRP durability for close-to-room temperature conditions, and the required number of fitting parameters is less.