Single sided water absorption in thick GFRP structures: Mechanical effects and diffusion monitoring by integrated smart sensors

In many application scenarios, such as the wind energy industry, fibre-reinforced polymers undergo atmospheric ageing due to prevailing environmental conditions. As a result, moisture gradients are often present in the material, which influence the material behaviour and mechanical properties. Reliable determination of the current moisture condition at various points in the component and knowledge of the effects of moisture on the mechanical behaviour of the structure can extend the service life and prevent failure. Consequently, this work presents a method for monitoring local moisture absorption and moisture-induced damage in thick GFRP laminates. Therefore, an integrated sensor system based on single carbon fibre (CF) rovings and impedance measurements was developed. Water absorption leads to a change in the dielectric properties of the GFRP, resulting in a significant increase in the phase angle and a simultaneous decrease in the amplitude of the electrical impedance, especially when local fibre-matrix debonding occurs. In addition, the mechanical effects of non-symmetric water absorption are evaluated using four-point bending and interlaminar shear strength tests. The mechanical performance of the aged laminates decreased significantly, even though the water infiltrated the laminates by less than 25 % of the thickness.

DDC Class

530: Physics

540: Chemistry

620.1: Engineering Mechanics and Materials Science

621.3: Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering

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https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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publishedVersion

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Gibhardt_2025_IOP_Conf._Ser.__Mater._Sci._Eng._1338_012034.pdf

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11.18 MB

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Single sided water absorption in thick GFRP structures: Mechanical effects and diffusion monitoring by integrated smart sensors