PSI - Issue 54

Norman Osa-uwagboe et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 54 (2024) 44–51 Author name / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000 – 000

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7

Top view

Section A-A

(a)

d

e

b

A

A

c

a

5 mm

5 mm

(b)

b

e

d

a

b

A

A

c

5 mm

5 mm

Fig. 7. X-ray μ -CT images: (a) GS_16, (b) CS_16, (a - fiber breakage. b – delamination.

c - core crushing. d –

core/face sheet debonding. e - core shear).

b

c

d

a

e

Fig. 8. SEM images of exposed FRPSSs: (a - fiber breakage. b - fiber/matrix interface delamination. c - fiber pull-out. d - fibre/matrix interface debonding. e - sea water deposits). 4. Conclusion GS and CS samples were exposed to seawater with a salt concentration of 3.5 % for 16 weeks with the moisture uptake monitored; it was observed to follow the ‘Fickian law’ with 5% and 5.8% moisture uptake for GS and CS, respectively. QSI experiments revealed a decrease in strength by 20.8 % and 11.4 %, energy absorption of 64%, and 9.4 % for GS and CS, respectively. Furthermore, post-mortem inspection revealed that the damaged area increased