Accelerated Testing for Long-Term Durability of Innovative CFRP Laminates for Marine Use

Abstract

The prediction of long-term fatigue life of innovative CFRP laminates for marine use under temperature and water environments were performed by our developed accelerated testing methodology based on the timetemperature superposition principle(TTSP). Three kinds of CFRP laminates employed were conventional plain fabric T 300 carbon fibers/vinylester, flat yarn plain fabric T 700 carbon fibers/vinylester and multi-axial knitted T 700 carbon fibers/vinylester for marine use. These CFRP laminates were prepared under three water absorption conditions of Dry, Wet and Wet+Dry after molding. The three-point bending constant strain rate(CSR)tests for three kinds of CFRP laminates at three conditions of water absorption were carried out at various temperatures and strain rates. Furthermore, the three-point bending fatigue tests for these specimens were carried out at various temperatures and frequencies. The flexural CSR and fatigue strengths of these CFRP laminates strongly depend on water absorption as well as time and temperature. The mater curves of fatigue strength as well as CSR strength for these CFRP laminates at these conditions are constructed by using the test data based on TTSP. It is possible to predict the long term fatigue life for these CFRP laminates under an arbitrary temperature and water absorption conditions by using the master curves.