Paper 14. Glass fibre reinforced cement and its commercial exploitation

The development of an alakali resistant glass fibre has made possible the commercial exploitation of a new composite material, glass fibre reinforced cemento The properties of this material, which can be varied over a broad spectrum via composite formulation and manufacturing method are sufficiently attractive to have prompted its use in a wide range of Building, Civil and General

Engineering applications.

For the past six years, and in close collaboration with the Building Research Establishment, Pilkington Brothers have been engaged in the techno-commercial development of a new composite material based upon the glass fibre reinforcement of alkaline cement matrices. This work is being carried out under Licence from the National Research and Development Corporation who hold patents on the glass compositions which* in fibre form, are capable of resisting the attack of the highly alkaline environment associated with the hydrating Portland Cement matrix. The fundamental discovery and demonstration of the durability of the new fibres in cement composites was made by Dr. A. 3. Majumdar of the BRE and an alkaline resistant fibre is now being supplied in fully commercial quantities by Pilkington under ths trade name "Cem-FIL".