Advancing damage and leakage prediction capabilities for pressure-retaining fibre-reinforced polymer composite structures

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Fibre-reinforced polymer composites (FRPC) possess attractive properties such as high specific strength and non-corrosiveness which may be exploited for advanced structures containing pressurised fluids. Applications are plentiful, e.g. process piping in hydrocarbon refining and upgrading, in which corrosion is a considerable concern; piping for cryogenic fluids such as liquefied natural gas, which requires pipe expansion characteristics that match those of the insulation structure; and linerless lightweight pressure vessels for the storage of compressed gaseous fuels. It is imperative that pressure retaining FRPC structures prevent or inhibit any damage that leads to leakage, which is the permeation of fluid into and through the structure. Leakage is caused by micro damage features and crack networks that initiate and grow in the polymer matrix with increasing load magnitude and cycles. Despite knowledge of the basic damage mechanisms it is widely recognized that additional research is needed to enable reliable leakage prediction. The latter is imperative for the successful design of pressure containment FRPC structures that provide advantages in terms of weight, durability, cost and safety. As part of the proposed research, experimental and analytical equipment will be employed in conjunction with the research group's knowledgebase on material and failure characteristics, which range from the micro to the macro scale, to discern material and damage properties that are most relevant to leakage damage. A subsequent task will be to expand existing modelling approaches or to develop new numerical, analytical and/or statistical predictive methods that are based on the most prevalent phenomena leading to fluid permeation. It is postulated that a successful methodology needs to capture damage effects within the matrix phase, including the connectivity and aperture of cracks and thus the permeability of the composite structure. In addition to its scientific and industrial value the proposed research will provide advanced training for up to 10 highly qualified personnel.