BRE BR461 PDF

The book represents the culmination of a 3-year research project funded by DTI. It covers the background to the application of fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) in construction, along with issues relating to durability and performance in service. Twenty-seven case studies are presented to highlight actual performance in the field - both successes and failures are addressed. Fibre reinforced polymers have been used successfully over the past 50 years in the marine and civil engineering sectors in a diverse range of applications, including pipes, tanks, slabs, walkways, bridge decks, gratings, column reinforcing wraps and reinforcing bars for concrete. In many of these applications FRPs are exposed to one or more environmental influences. All FRPs are durable inasmuch as they are water resistant, thermally stable and cannot rust. Particular grades of high-durability (5-20 year lifetime) FRPs are available for specific applications, eg FRPs for concrete rebars incorporate alkali-resistant glass fibres in order to resist fibre attack by pore water. In almost all applications, durability may be enhanced by imposing a conservative safety factor (2-4) on the design, and in many such cases additional durability may be achieved by the use of a protective coating or the incorporation of light stabilisers and antioxidants, or both.