Friday, March 27, 2015

The Benefits Of Using Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer

By Lelia Hall


As of today, a wide array of fiber options are available in the industry. Each of them is useful for the reinforcement of polymer composites. Basically, one of the reasons of corrosion of the reinforcing steel metals is due to the failure of structures made of concrete. This phenomenon cannot be avoided that most concrete composition will crack creating an avenue for chlorides and other substances to oxidize the steel bars. Fiberglass is one of the popular reinforced plastics used for reinforcement fibers particularly for glass fibers.

This lightweight material can be used for different products. Actually, it also a versatile material because of its inherent strength, resistant finish, lightweight, weather resistant and variety of surface textures. One of the tested and proven alternatives for the reinforcement is the glass fiber reinforced polymer for materials, design guides, spectrum of authoritative, test methods and qualification of procedures to each designer.

Using these materials will give an assurance to the owners and designers commercially and safely implementing a certain augmentation in several types of structures. Fiberglass is a type of glass used in various types of fibers. It is not as stiff or strong as the carbon steels but with characteristics making it more advisable to be applied in different applications. Actually, it is non conductive and often invisible to different types of transmissions. It also makes it a good choice when working with electrical or broadcast applications.

Most of the mechanical properties and behaviors of fiber reinforced polymers such as the glass fiber and carbon versus the metal reinforcing must be learned and understood by anyone before taking the designs of structures using the said reinforcements. Most of these systems are acceptable alternatives to every steel reinforcement for concrete structures.

The main advantage of this system than the steel augmentation is its versatility and resistance to corrosion. Also, masonry structures may greatly benefit from these applications. Typically, they can be applicable to strengthen all structures that can be specified by structural engineers in public and private industries. With the use of fibers, the main reinforcing fibers can be applied to all FRPs.

An important factor to consider in choosing a certain reinforced composite used for different structural applications is to learn and understand such limit of each fiber to resist long term loading. Continuous and cyclic loading in the fiber polymer can resist loads which may only persuade failure, rupture in structural elements and long term deflections.

Most of these advantages may also include the high strength, corrosion resistant and lightweight, as well as low thermal conductivity, stable and non conductive. It is also electromagnetically transparent, impact resistant and low life cycle costs. However, it has higher initial costs than steel reinforcements.

FRPs are also used for structural augmentation and applied in various applications. Mostly, they are used for marine environment, slopes, roads, tunnels and bridges. The internal reinforcement has its specific advantage especially in tunnel walls. But the steel reinforcement may only damage the tunnel boring machines.

Once you know and understand all of those aspects in every structural application, it would be easier for a professional to consider a lot of important factors especially when it comes to the exact application to the surfaces as well as the materials used.




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