Properties of fiberglass : study on strength and durability for hydrolysis

Abstract

This study is to carry out the answer of question on the effect of hydrolysis to fibreglass. This study provides the information of strength, flexural and weight changing after fibreglass has been immersed in seawater. From previous study, the weight of fibreglass is increase othewise the strength and the flexural are decreasing due to exposure to seawater (Grami, 2009). This study has two main objectives. The first one is to understand the effect of seawater to the specimen strength. The second objective is to define the effectiveness of gel coat applied on the fiberglass to protect it from hydrolysis. For this study, 93 pieces of FRP specimen had been prepared. They had been grouping in five groups. Each group will have two groups, one group had been prepared for tensile test and another group will be preparing for 3-point bending test. Each test had been used three pieces. All the specimens are immersed in seawater in room condition. This experiment has taken 56 days to complete. The specimens had been tested by using two method of test. The first test is tensile test. This test will be showing the differences in strength. The second test is three point bending test. This test will be showing the effect of hydrolysis to the flexural of the specimen. Immersion into the seawater could affect the tensile strength and flexural strength of fibre reinforce polymer (FRP). The penetrated seawater could also increase the weight of FRP after being immersed for a long period into the seawater. Using the gel coat as a defence element from seawater is necessary. The gel coat could protect the FRP but it's not 100% effective, because the seawater still penetrates into this type of material. Increasing of gel coat thickness could decrease the effect of hydrolysis.