ACCELERATED TEST METHODS TO DETERMINE THE LONG-TERM BEHAVIOR OF FRP COMPOSITE STRUCTURES - ENVIRONMENTAL-EFFECTS

Technical literature on the subject of environmental exposure effects related to determining accelerated test methods for the prediction of long-term performance of FRP composite materials for highway structura l applications is reviewed in this paper. Effects of environmental exp osure of a chemical and a thermal nature on fiber-reinforced polymer ( FRP) composites are considered. Such exposures include temperature, mo isture and chemicals in liquid solutions or in gaseous mixtures. The e ffects include the changes in the physical and mechanical properties o f the composite materials. Such changes are typically related to the d egradation or deterioration of the composite material. Synergistic eff ects of mechanical load and exposure are also reviewed. The review is divided in topics entitled Materials, Exposure Conditions, Experimenta l Techniques, Failure Mechanisms and Theoretical Modeling.