BRE BR405 PDF

Polymers have many advantages over conventional building materials: they are light in weight, resist corrosion and are easy to process. Combining them with fibres to form composites enhances their properties, making them useful for such construction components as structural members, light-transmitting panels, sandwich panels, modular units, storage tanks, formwork and windows. Advanced composite materials have superior properties that offer real benefits to the construction industry and are becoming established as important materials in all forms of structures. And as the properties of polymer composites are better understood and appreciated, the use of these materials in the construction industry will increase. This publication deals with the properties, manufacturing techniques, design, performance and use of these materials in the UK and overseas; it includes examples, lists of consultants, manufacturers and materials suppliers. It is fully referenced and gives useful further reading.