On the identification of diffuso-mechanical properties of polymer matrix materials based on the use of plates with asymmetric moisture concentration field

The aim of the paper is to investigate the possibility to identify the moisture affected mechanical properties and the coefficient of moisture expansion of polymer matrix materials using plates subject to asymmetric concentration field. The study is performed on samples with thin plate configuration using a weakly coupled diffuso-mechanical model: 1D Fick’s diffusion model and 2D plane stress hygroelastic model. Because of the intensity of the deflections caused by the asymmetry of the concentration field, the use of a model taking into account geometrical non-linearities is discussed. The identification is performed according to a constant and linear dependence of Young’s modulus on moisture content. It is shown that diffuso-mechanical properties and the coefficient of moisture expansion can be simultaneously identified by using geometrically linear and non-linear approaches.