Study on the Mechanical Properties of Marine FRP Laminates

ABSTRACT: Marine glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) laminates, such as M-R laminates, have various tensile and flexural mechanical properties. This phenomenon holds not only for laminates composed of various fibers, but also for laminates composed of a single type fiber. Therefore, this paper will use both a theoretical and a numerical model to calculate the tensile and flexural Young’s moduli, to elucidate the mechanism that explains the discrepancy. According to this, the numerical model of GFRP laminates made from a single type of fiber can be established from the data of material experiments, which are easily performed in the laboratory. The mechanical properties of laminates composed of different types of fibers can then be predicted precisely by this numerical model without further material experiments. KEY WORDS: GFRP, laminates, tensile/flexural properties, failure analysis