FIBER

REINFORCED
POLYMER/PLASTIC
FIBER REINFORCED PLASTIC (FRP)
(FRP also called fibre-reinforced polymer, or in American English fiber)
is a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with
fibres. The fibres are usually glass (in fibreglass), carbon (in
carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer), aramid, or basalt. Rarely, other fibres
such as paper, wood, boron, or asbestos have been used. The polymer
is usually an epoxy, vinyl ester, or polyester thermosetting plastic,
though phenol formaldehyde resins are still in use.

FRPs are commonly used in the aerospace, automotive, marine, and

construction industries. They are commonly found in ballistic armour
and cylinders for self-contained breathing apparatuses.

These materials have a high ratio of strength to density, exceptional

corrosion resistance and convenient electrical, magnetic and
thermal properties. However, they are brittle and their mechanical
properties may be affected by the rate of loading, temperature and
environmental conditions.
TYPES
1. Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP)
Glass fibres are basically made by mixing silica sand, limestone, folic
acid and other minor ingredients. The mix is heated until it melts at
about 1260°C.

The molten glass is then allowed to flow through fine holes in a

platinum plate. The glass strands are cooled, gathered and wound.
The fibres are drawn to increase directional strength. The fibres are
then woven into various forms for use in composites.

Based on an aluminium lime borosilicate composition, glass

produced fibres are considered as the predominant reinforcement
for polymer matrix composites due to their high electrical
insulating properties, low susceptibility to moisture and high
mechanical properties.
2. Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)
Carbon fibres have a high modulus of elasticity, 200-800 GPa. The
ultimate elongation is 0.3-2.5 % where the lower elongation
corresponds to the higher stiffness and vice versa.

Carbon fibres do not absorb water and are resistant to many

chemical solutions. They withstand fatigue excellently and neither
corrode not show any creep or relaxation.

3. Aramid Fibre Reinforced Polymer (AFRP)

Aramid is the short form for aromatic polyamide. A well-known
trademark of aramid fibres is Kevlar but there does exist other
brands as well such as Twaron, Technora and SVM.

The modulus of the fibres are 70-200 GPa with an ultimate

elongation of 1.5-5% depending on the quality. Aramid has a high
fracture energy and is therefore used for helmets and bullet-proof
garments.

They are sensitive to elevated temperatures, moisture and

ultraviolet radiation and therefore not widely used in civil
engineering applications. Finally, Aramid fibres do have problems
with relaxation and stress corrosion.
PROPERTIES
● The characteristics of fiber-reinforced plastics hinge upon
factors such as the mechanical properties of the matrix and
the fiber, the volumes of both and the length and
orientation of the fibers in the matrix.

● FRPs have a low weight but are incredibly strong, and have
good fatigue, impact and compression properties. This
makes them of great interest to the motor industry who aim
to replace metal with lighter weight materials to not only
make the cars stronger but more fuel efficient.

● They also demonstrate impressive electrical properties and a

high grade environmental resistance, along with good
thermal insulation, structural integrity, fire hardiness, UV
radiation stability and resistance to chemicals and corrosives.

● The composite plastics can be manufactured cost-effectively

and can be tailored to suit a wide range of performance
specifications, meaning they have a wide range of uses in
many industries including the automotive, aerospace,
construction and marine sectors.
APPLICATIONS
● Carbon FRPs are used in prestressed concrete for applications where high
resistance to corrosion and electromagnetic transparency of CFRP are
important.
● CFRP composites are employed for underwater piping and structural parts
of offshore platform. Added to that, FRP declines the risk of fire.
● Carbon fibre reinforced polymers are used to manufacture underwater pipes
for great depth because it provides a significantly increased buoyancy (due
to its low density) compared to steel.
FRP SEA PIPES
● The stairways and walkways are also made of composites for weight saving
and corrosion resistance.
● It is used in high-performance hybrid structures.
● FRP bars are used as internal reinforcement for concrete structures.
● FRP bars, sheets, and strips are used for strengthening of various structures
constructed from concrete, masonry, timber, and even steel.
● FRPs are employed for seismic retrofitting.
● Fibre reinforced polymers are used in the construction of special structures
requiring electrical neutrality.
● The high energy absorption of aramid fibre reinforced polymer (AFRP)
composites makes them suitable for strengthening engineering structures
subjected to dynamic and impact loading.

FRP SEISMIC RETROFITTING

PROCESS
1. Reinforcement

The process typically starts by pulling in two forms of fiberglass

reinforcement. Creels of fiberglass roving provide unidirectional strength
along the length of the profile, and rolls of woven fiberglass mat provide
multidirectional reinforcement. All reinforcements are fed through pre-
forming guides that will begin to shape the raw glass fibers into the
finished profile.

2. Wet-out

The fiberglass reinforcements are pulled through a bath of thermoset

resin
typically polyester or vinylester as well as pigments to add color, filler
to enhance properties, and a catalyst to aid in curing. Resin also provides
an additional form of reinforcement.
3. Surface Veil

Just before all the material is pulled into the heated die, surface
veil(polyester fibre) is added to enhance the surface appearance of
the final product.

4. Curing

Wet-out reinforcements are pulled through the heated pultrusion

die, which begins the thermosetting process that causes the resin to
“cure” or harden.
By the time the part exits the die, a solid, rigid profile in the exact
shape of the die cavity has been formed with all the reinforcements
laminated inside.

5. Cutting

The finished product is then pulled to the cut-off saw and cut to the
desired length. After cutting, it is placed in stock and sent for
secondary processing
FRP IN CONSTRUCTION
The materials used in construction are key to any structure's success and longevity. With so
many innovative options on the market, optimal material selection is not always
straightforward. Choosing the right materials requires careful analysis of the project
parameters, environmental considerations and budgetary constraints. More and more,
combined consideration of these factors leads architects and builders to newer innovative
materials, such as composites.

FRP features numerous unique properties to consider during the material selection
process.

1. Corrosion resistance. The corrosion-resistant polymers in FRP hold up to salt and

chemical exposure. This allows FRP to last for decades in settings ranging from
seaside walkways to rail platforms.
2. Cost-efficiency. Renowned for its affordable installation, FRP also provides
incredible value thanks to its unmatched longevity. An FRP structure can go up to
75 years with little or no maintenance, drastically reducing the overall cost of a
construction project and generating more long-term economies of scale.
3. Strength-to-weight ratio. At just 10–20% the weight of reinforced concrete decking,
FRP panels are lightweight yet strong enough to withstand high foot traffic, motor
traffic and high static loads.
4. Ease of installation. The lightweight nature of FRP also facilitates construction.
Combined with Composite Advantage's prefabricated options, FRP's weight makes
it one of the easiest and cheapest materials to install on-site.
5. Safety. FRP is an excellent choice for structures that will experience pedestrian
traffic. The non-slip surface is safer than metal or concrete, which can become slick
when wet.
6. Design flexibility. FRP can be engineered to meet almost any construction
parameters, including custom dimensions and specific load-bearing capabilities.
CREATIVE COMPOSITE GROUP FRP PRODUCTS FOR CONSTRUCTION
Due to its range of beneficial properties, contractors use FRP in a variety of settings.
Creative Composites Group's full product line of FRP panels are commonly used
within:

● Access and safety structures. FRP's non-slip, durable surface makes it an ideal
material for building safer access platforms, catwalks, stairs and railings.
● Pedestrian bridge decking. FRP can be designed with a non-slip texture making
it well-suited for pedestrian bridges. FRP is lightweight yet sturdy, with a slight
give that makes it a more comfortable walking surface than concrete.
● Vehicular bridge decking. Even at a fraction of the weight of concrete, sturdy
FRP bridge deck panels will withstand heavy dynamic loads from motor traffic.
● Rail platforms. FRP rail platforms are highly corrosion-resistant and better
withstand frequent exposure to adverse weather and corrosive deicing
chemicals than comparable construction materials.
● Tanks and piping. Low weight and high corrosion resistance make FRP
composites an ideal material for many industrial applications, including
processing tanks and pipes.
● Balconies. Prefabricated balconies are affordable and easy to install, yet they
promise decades of slip-free performance under even heavy foot traffic.
● Architectural details. FRP is easily color matched to existing facades, making it a
great candidate for exterior building design features. FRP may be especially
useful on exposed detailing, doubling as a protective, weather-resistant element.
CASE STUDY
The Mobile Art Pavilion for Chanel, First inspired by the Chanel
quilted bag signed and designed by a natural organization
system, is also shaped by functional considerations of
exposure. However, these new determinations are secondary
precarious and dependent on the dominant official language
Pavilion. An enigmatic strangeness has evolved between the
organic system logic Pavilion and these functional
adaptations – sparking the curiosity of visitors even further.
The pavilion has a toroidal shape wrapped around a central
courtyard daylit, but it is not optimized geometry for repetitive
geometric elements, the shape of the pavilion was explored and
delineated by architects. Visitors are invited to enjoy, even enjoy the
geometrical accuracy provided by the FRP coating supported by
a frame internally steel and also curvilinear. The central courtyard
is daylit through ETFE cushions, which were considered as FRP
tourable by architects.

Flag Dress
FRP panels for Chanel pavilion are detailed as rainscreen with sealing and
insulation provided by a general construction as invisible. Wall panels vary in size
and are approximately 1.5mx 2m while the roof panels are 2m x 4m. The panels
were designed by Optima Project using FEA optimized laminate construction
elements, while achieving the required rigidity by the performance specification
for the most exposed place. The panels are reinforced with glass fibers in
combination of biaxial stitched fabric and mat son cut. The glass fibers are
maintained in a fire retardant polyester resin matrix. The panels have a sandwich
construction with a core of 5 mm thick low density, mat nonwoven filament yarn
containing microbeads (tiny plastic balls) to obtain a rigidity high bending to
weight ratio.
FRP panels can be easily detailed to provide a high level of
thermal insulation.

FRP panels are sprayed with white acrylic paint high gloss
pearlescent. This gloss is visually demanding, revealing the
geometry of each panel of FRP and the precision with which it was
made. The individual molds for each panel are CNC machined
polyurethane foam, a cost effective molding material. The panels
were sanded by hand after being removed from the mold for the
fine finish. The lining inside the pavilion is mainly formed of FRP
panels that were a fire class in accordance with British Standard 476,
part 7.