Title: Experimental approaches to creep-induced damaging effects under normal ambient and transient moisture conditions in a GFR polymer composite

Authors: V.N. Kytopoulos, I.N. Prassianakis, E. Sideridis

Addresses: Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Physics Sciences, Department of Mechanics, Laboratory of Strength and Materials, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon of Polytechniou Avenue 5, GR-157 73, Zografou, Athens, Greece. ' Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Physics Sciences, Department of Mechanics, Laboratory of Strength and Materials, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon of Polytechniou Avenue 5, GR-157 73, Zografou, Athens, Greece. ' Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Physics Sciences, Department of Mechanics, Laboratory of Strength and Materials, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon of Polytechniou Avenue 5, GR-157 73, Zografou, Athens, Greece

Abstract: In this study some Damaging Effects induced by creep loading under normal ambient as well as transient moisture conditions i.e. by the so-called mechano-sorptive creep in a certain Glass Fibre-Reinforced (GFR) polyester matrix composite are investigated by means of two basic types of experimental approaching techniques. By these approaches it was shown that despite the non-neglecting scatter in the experimental data certain irresistible general trends might be assessed. In this context it was found that the damage |response| is markedly sensitive to the respective applied |detection| technique and therefore the damage evolution data obtained by these different techniques are only in certain circumstances comparable.

Keywords: creep loading; diffusivity; moisture; Fickian law; damage; NDT; microcracking; mechanical parameters; mechano-sorptive effects; nondestructive testing; GFR polymer composites; glass fibre reinforced composites.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2006.011655

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2006 Vol.1 No.3/4, pp.409 - 420

Published online: 07 Dec 2006 *

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