Project Description: Fibre-reinforced composite materials are playing an increasingly critical role in the field of sustainable energy. This is particularly the case when it comes to the tidal and wind energy sectors, where the materials can be exposed to extreme environmental conditions that can push the designs, and materials utilised, to their very limits. Water is known to have a negative effect on the material properties of composite materials, however there are still gaps in the knowledgebase with regards to the specifics on how saturation occurs under certain conditions, and how this in turn effects the degradation of material properties of the composite. The project will be heavily experimental, and involve working in collaboration with a PhD student based within the Advanced Composites Group (ACG).

Project objectives: The key aims/objectives for the project will be as follows:

(i) To conduct a literature review into the field of water saturation in glass fibre-reinforced polymer composite materials.

(ii) To design a test plan, based on the literature, whereby the level of water absorption can be compared between samples intermittently dipped into water.

(iii) To conduct material testing (tensile/flexural/ILSS) of said samples to establish the resultant effect on material properties.

(iv) To conduct analysis of samples following testing to establish cause of failure.