Experimental investigation of the effect of aging on perforated composite tubes under axial compressive loading

Abstract

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials in various applications such as aerospace, automotive, sport equipment, and oil and gas industries has been growing in a steady rate in recent years. The potential use of perforated FRP tubes (pipes) in oil and gas industry-related applications can become significantly greater, provided that the influence of the harsh environmental conditions specific to the industry could be tolerated by the materials used to form such tubes, with minimal degradation to system’s mechanical and physical properties. Unfortunately, there is not adequate database and information in the literature in regards to the long-term response of perforated FRP tubes. The purpose of this study is therefore to investigate whether FRP could be confidently used in structural applications that are primarily subjected to compressive loading and exposed to harsh environments, without significant deterioration of their physical and mechanical properties. For that, three sets of perforated glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) pipes were fabricated and subjected to accelerated aging conditions in an acid. Subsequently, the pipes were tested to failure under an axially applied compressive load. Results showed a considerable decrease in the load carrying capacity and axial stiffness of perforated pipes having certain D/t ratios, as a result of the aging.