Generally, the marine environment is the most aggressive natural environment for metallic pipelines, promoting corrosion, leading to catastrophic failures. The traditional welded metallic repairs are high-cost and inconvenient repair methods for the industry. Polymeric composites (FRP) are a potential repair material due to their high resistance/weight ratio and high resistance to corrosion and environmental degradation. However, polymeric composites are also susceptible to severe degradation when exposed to harsh environment conditions, including water absorption, temperature, UV and pressure. To better understand the degradation mechanism, glass-fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite (GFRP) and neat epoxy samples were fabricated and analyzed as a function of aging time and temperature in a saline atmosphere. In addition, a group of composites had their exposed edges coated with epoxy resin to simulate common real-life practices in the field, namely coated FRP. A two-component DGEBA epoxy resin and a bidirectional glass-fiber woven fabric were used as matrix and reinforcement, respectively. The fiberglass fabric had a longitudinal to transverse fiber ratio of 2:1. The materials were subjected to salt spray aging in three chambers at 35, 55 and 70 Celsius for approximately 15171 hours. The salt concentration in the solution used was 5.0 per cent by weight. Samples were periodically removed from the chambers to have their mass gain measured by the gravitational method. Their dimensional changes were also measured to evaluate the swelling behavior of the materials. Thermal analyses with DSC and DMTA were performed to evaluate the curing degree of the polymeric materials tested and the effects of temperature on the material’s post-curing. Chemical analyses with FTIR tests were performed to investigate the occurrence of post-curing, hydrolysis and thermo-oxidation processes during aging. Composite samples for bending and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) destructive tests were periodically tested to have their degradation monitored over time. Impulse Excitation Technique and colorimetry tests were also performed as complementary non-destructive tests (NDT). The first part of this work focuses on the assessment of the moisture absorption behavior of both composite and neat epoxy resin. The relationship between the moisture gain capacity of the materials, considering the fiber volume fraction, was investigated. Besides, non-Fickian absorption models were also applied to the experimental data of FRP and neat epoxy resin to account for deviations from the standard Fickian model. Then, polymeric relaxations and polymer-water interactions, as well as network changes induced by moisture and temperature, were investigated. A modification to the Berens-Hopfenberg (BH) non-Fickian model was proposed to account for post-curing effects on the moisture absorption; such modification applied for post-curing was not found in literature. In the second part of this work, the swelling behavior of neat epoxy resin, uncoated and coated composites was evaluated and correlated with moisture absorption. The orthotropy of the composite was evident, since this material showed greater swelling capacity in the thickness direction. A Fickian-like model was implemented to the thickness swelling to investigate swelling strain saturation and swelling front. The third part of this work focuses on the destructive tests and evaluation of the hygrothermal effects on the material degradation. Temperature proved to be an accelerating factor for property degradation. In addition, a methodology to estimate the service-life curve of the repair systems and extrapolate it to lower temperatures was elaborated. The methodology of property extrapolation for long-term hygrothermal exposure in salt spray environments could not be found in literature. Parameters like property retention plateau and degradation rate were estimated for room temperature (25°C). Arrhenius curves were also plotted to evaluate the time required to reach the properties’ retention levels for each temperature. Finally, two non-destructive techniques were performed on the uncoated FRP and on neat epoxy resin as complementary tests in order to validate the results found in other techniques. The Impulse Excitation Technique (IET) was performed to evaluate the Young modulus and good correlation was found between IET and destructive bending tests. From the colorimetry tests, the effects of moisture and temperature were visible, as the resin s color change was stronger at longer aging time and higher temperatures.