A novel multiscale parallel finite element method for the study of the hygrothermal aging effect on the composite materials

In this paper, a novel and comprehensive multiscale finite element analysis is proposed to study the effect of hygrothermal aging on the behavior of fiber-reinforced composite materials. The temperature dependence of the material diffusivity and its spatial variation are considered. Fick's equation is numerically solved by the finitedifference approach and problems in which the temperature and/or humidity are different at the material boundaries are studied. In addition to the elastic properties degradation, the change of the coefficients of thermal and moisture expansion and the effect of the glass transition temperature in the hygrothermal aging process are considered. The algorithm has been used to study the time-dependent (transient) behavior of two sample laminated composites with different types of temperature and humidity boundary conditions. The maximum decline of about 87% and 74% has been observed in the transverse Young's modulus and shear modulus of the composite in the thickness direction. Furthermore, the coefficients of the thermal and moisture transverse expansion have been found to change from initial values of 0.12 and 7.31m degrees mu mC to 0.45 and 7.96 mu m m degrees C in some hygrothermal conditions. The developed algorithm is applicable to a wide variety of composite materials and structures.