Do mechanical and environmental loading have a synergistic effect on the degradation of pultruded glass fiber reinforced polymers?. (1st December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pour-Ghaz, Mohammad; Miller, Bryant L.H.; Khalaf Alla, Omar; Rizkalla, Sami
• Is Part Of: Composites. Volume 106(2016)
• Page Start: 344
• Page End: 355
• Publication Date: 2016-12-01
• Subjects: Acoustic emission -- Durability -- Fiber reinforced polymer -- GFRP -- Glass transition; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; Composite materials; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.09.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-8368

Abstract

Abstract: This paper investigates the effect of simultaneous mechanical and environmental loading on the degradation rate of pultruded Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composites. The experimental program included testing a large number of GFRP coupons, with vinylester or polyester matrices, conditioned for 1000 or 2000 h under a wide range of sustained stresses and exposed to freshwater or saltwater at an elevated temperature of 60 °C. Mechanical tests, including tensile strength and elastic modulus measurements were performed on the GFRP composites. In addition, glass transition measurements, moisture uptake measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and acoustic emission testing were performed to better understand the synergistic effect of mechanical loading and environmental conditions.