ABSTRACT
Glass fiber-vinylester-based filament wound composite (FWC-GFRP) structures are extensively used in large-scale engineering applications like oil and gas, hydrogen storage, and electrical insulators. During the service life, these structures undergo harsh environmental service conditions, which can vary from hot to cold as well as dry to humid climates, potentially leading to environment-induced degradation. This work aims to provide insight into the mechanical performance of a FWC-GFRP after exposure to sub-Tg thermal aging for a period of 224 days. Arrhenius modeling has been employed to estimate lifetime expectancy using accelerated aging experimental data and, hence, predict the loss in structural integrity as a function of material property degradation.
