Degradation and mechanical performance of fibre-reinforced polymer composites under marine environments: A review of recent advancements

Fibre-reinforced polymeric composites (FRPC), having better corrosion resistance, higher strength-to-weight, and modulus-to-weight ratios, are widely utilised in automotive, wind power, and oil & gas industries, etc. In service, FRPCs are exposed to high temperatures and moisture, causing water absorption, which leads to anisotropic expansion and yields residual stresses affecting the durability of FRPCs. Inevitable water uptake causes swelling, plasticization, matrix hydrolysis, chemical alteration, and fibre/matrix interface debonding, leading to degradation in their mechanical properties. It has been identified that the effect of hygrothermal ageing is attributed to various factors such as fabric architecture, polymer matrix, environmental conditions, and manufacturing induced defects. The aim of this paper is to review the effect of hygrothermal ageing on the mechanical performance of FRPC, identify the gap in the existing literature, and suggest future direction in this area. In addition to this, various damage prediction models in the hygrothermal environment will be discussed in detail. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd