Macro-mechanical analysis of tensile strength of glass/carbon fiber reinforced plastics hybrid composites under hydrothermal environment

Abstract

Abstract The material properties of composite materials are affected by changes in temperature and moisture. This study used the glass/carbon fiber reinforced plastic hybrid composite (G/CFRPHC) laminate as the research objects. The stiffness and strength of the composite lamina were expressed as a function of hydrothermal parameters. Based on classical lamination theory(CLT) and macro-mechanical analysis, using MATLAB programming, the tensile strength of G/CFRPHC laminates under a hydrothermal environment was studied. In addition, the influence of temperature, ply thickness, ply stacking sequence, and ply angle on the tensile strength of G/CFRPHC laminates under a hydrothermal environment was discussed. The results show that the tensile strength of G/CFRPHC laminates decreases with the increase of temperature and laying angle in the temperature range of 20 °C ∼ 110 °C in the hydrothermal environment (moisture absorption rate C 1 = 0.5%). Furthermore, for the G/CFRPHC laminates with laying modes of (02G/90mC)S, (04G/90mC)S, (06G/90mC)S, as m increases, their tensile strength gradually decreases. The tensile strength of G/CFRPHC laminates with the same ply angle but different ply stacking sequence is also not the same.