Effect of salt spray on mechanical properties of glass f iber reinforced polymer composites

The accelerated salt-spray test was used to simulate a marine environment and determine the durability ofglass fiber reinforced polymer ( GFRP) composites in marine environment s. Aging behavior af ter exposure in saltspray environment was studied by changes in mass gain and mechanical properties including tension , compressionand interlaminar shearing st rength. The mass gain increases and the mechanical properties decrease with the agingtime. Curves of the compression and interlaminar shearing test show more plastic than the original ones. Mechanicalproperties decrease quickly in the initial period of moisture absorption. The longitude tensile st rength , transversetensile st rength , compression strength and interlaminar shearing strength decrease to 56. 1 %, 54. 7 %, 54. 0 %, 61. 0 %,respectively. The tensile strength is more steady and more suitable for evaluating the aging degree of the composites.