Numerical Simulation of Non-Fick Moisture Diffusion of Pultruded Composite GFRP Bridge Deck Plates
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 35, Issue 6
Abstract
Long-term exposure to a harsh environment leads to irreversible degradation of mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) profiles. Understanding the aging effects on pultruded FRP composites due to long-term exposure is essential. The moisture diffusion process plays a significant role in understanding material degradation of E-glass/polyester-reinforced polymer composite laminates exposed to hygrothermal environments. In this paper, the moisture diffusion process in pultruded (GFRP) composite bridge members is numerically simulated using the finite-element method. The moisture diffusion parameters were calibrated by gravimetric tests of pultruded composite thin plates. Gravimetric tests of three different rectangular specimens were conducted to investigate three-dimensional moisture diffusion at different temperatures and environments. The calibrated mass diffusion parameters were validated by comparing the average time-dependent moisture concentration obtained from non-Fick finite-element (FE) simulation with experimental results.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation (Grants #51808398 and #52078362) of the People’s Republic of China.
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Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 35 • Issue 6 • December 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 25, 2020
Accepted: Jul 14, 2021
Published online: Aug 31, 2021
Published in print: Dec 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jan 31, 2022
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