Impact of Composites on Construction

Advanced composite materials, also known as fibre reinforced plastics or polymers (FRP), are providing the construction industry with new materials for the construction of new buildings and bridges or for the repair of existing ones. The FRP currently used in construction comprise high strength fibres of glass, aramid and/or carbon, embedded in thermoset polymer matrices, such as epoxy, polyester and vinylester. While the high strength, corrosion resistance and light weight of FRP make them highly attractive construction materials, they also pose new challenges to the structural engineering and construction industry which must be overcome before FRP becomes a routine construction material. This paper examines both the opportunities and the challenges that material producers, structural designers and the construction industry in general must countenance before FRP can become a true alternative to steel, concrete and other traditional construction materials.