In-service performance of glass reinforced plastic composites in buildings

Fibre-reinforced polymers (FRPs) have found increasing use in construction applications over the last four decades. One of the key factors in their success is the long-term durability they offer. Structures erected in the late 1960s and early 1970s are still meeting performance requirements, and several examples of these are cited in this paper. Improvements in materials technology mean that the properties of FRP components produced today are at least as good as, if not much improved on, those available 40 years ago. This, along with the need for improved construction processes, suggests an increase in the application of FRP materials in construction in the future. The work reported in this paper forms part of a much larger site investigation project, funded through the UK's Department of Trade and Industry, covering many types of application of composites in construction. The results reported here confirm that modern durable FRP structures can be designed and constructed.