Wednesday, May 27, 2015

The Truth About GFRP Reinforcement

By Ericka Marsh


Look at your surroundings. Observe them one by one very carefully. Take time to scrutinize the things around you. Identify them one by one. If you see buildings, survey its structure. Surely, all the little details of how it is built is a big question mark in your mind. How architects designed them. How amazing that engineers made it possible to become a reality. There are a lot of fascinating facts that you are yet to know.

Everything in life needs a foundation in the same way a construction needs one. The experts measured the accurate details needed for their foundation construction. This foundation is the framework of the building. Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer, GFRP reinforcement is needed for its framework to support its brace. It helps build up strong structure. This is composed of composite materials.

It is a strong lightweight material and is used for various products. Its components is based on carbon fiber which made it less brittle and cheaper. It has bulk strength that is better than any metals. It can be molded into designated shapes and sizes.

Many years before, an accidental discovery of Owens Games Slayter happened. It was not in his intention to invent something extraordinary. Until one day, a jet full of compressed air went straight to a stream of molten glass. He was able to discover that it became hard enough to withhold any pressure or weight. He then tried to manufacture more of it then called the process as pultrusion.

Pultrusion happens when several minerals were burnt to hot furnace to achieve the creation of fiberglass. It is a composite material of reinforced with fiber and polymer matrix. It is light, reliable, corrosion resistant, and many more. This is commonly used in aerospace, construction, marine, etc. There are two ways in how the manufacture of fiber reinforcement is done. Here are the following.

Two Dimensional Fibre Reinforced Polymer. It is characterized by the lamination of a structure wherein fibers are aligned along the x and y direction only. The z direction is excluded. Cost and labor is highly affected.

Three Dimensional Fiber Reinforced Polymer. An incorporation of fibers are aligning in all directions from x, y and z. This decreases the cost and labor.

In addition, there are ways to do the textile processing. It includes weaving, knitting, stitching and braiding. Unfortunately, GFRP is not just as great as it seem. It also has its own limits. In spite of its strength and other features, it has a weak point. It is also subject to weakness depending on the amount of correct mixture when it was created. Its liability is depending on the quality of the way it was made.

That is why they are widely used in constructions because of its quality. Despite of its ability to withstand any crash or objects slammed, it also have its weakness. It is also clear that they are used as reinforcements to the main framework of superstructures. They help hold the building in better shape for a longer time. It is widely used around the globe both in the business world and in the homes of many people. Now that you know more about them, you can start confidently use them. And even recommend it to some of your friends.




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