Micromechanics modeling and homogenization of glass fiber reinforced polymer composites subject to synergistic deterioration

Composites have been successfully adopted in manufacturing and aerospace applications and are rapidly expanding into civil infrastructure. This paper develops an experimentally-validated 3D multi-physics finite element model for predicting the synergistic effects of combined physical/chemical degradation processes of UV radiation and water condensation at elevated temperatures in representative volume elements of glass fiber reinforced polymeric matrix composites subjected to environmental exposure and mechanical loading. Validation studies are conducted by comparing the results of multi-physics FEM simulations with accelerated exposure experiments. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to investigate the effect of mesh density on the accuracy of results. The effects of woven structure, diffusive parameters, and matter loss flux on the evolution of deterioration are analyzed on both a local and global scale. [Display omitted]