A parametric study of linear and nonlinear models for moisture diffusion in composite sandwich structures.

Disagreement has persisted in the modeling of Fickian moisture diffusion in sandwich structures as to the correct continuity conditions at the core/facesheet interface. The purpose of the present work is to compare moisture diffusion predictions based on two of the most widely used sets of these continuity conditions. The model problem of one-dimensional time-dependent moisture diffusion in a symmetric sandwich slab is selected for analysis. Finite difference numerical solutions reveal very little difference between the predictions of models assuming continuity of relative humidity and continuity of relative concentration over a wide variety of parametric conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]