ASSIGNMENT

MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION-IV

FRP & FRC

SUBMITTED BY
R.DEEPA
116011001503
II YR / IV SEM
Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP)
(also called fibre-reinforced polymer,
or fiber-reinforced plastic) is a composite
materials made of a polymer matrix reinforced
with fiber. The fibers are usually fiber glass,
carbon fiber ,reinforced polymer,aramid,
or basalt fibre. Rarely, other fibers such as
paper, wood, or asbestos have been used. The
polymer is usually an epoxy, vinyl ester,
or polyester thermo setting g plastic,
though phenoformaldehyde are still in use.

FRPs are commonly used in the aerospace,

automotive, marine, and construction industries. They are commonly found in ballistic armor as
well.

Applications
Fibre-reinforced plastics are best suited for any design program that demands weight savings,
precision engineering, finite tolerances, and the simplification of parts in both production and
operation. A moulded polymer artefact is cheaper, faster, and easier to manufacture than cast
aluminium or steel artefact, and maintains similar and sometimes better tolerances and material
strengths.

Carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers:-
Advantages over a traditional rudder made from sheet aluminium are:

 25% reduction in weight

 95% reduction in components by combining parts and forms into simpler moulded parts.
 Overall reduction in production and operational costs, economy of parts results in lower
production costs and the weight savings create fuel savings that lower the operational costs
of flying the aeroplane.
Glass-fibre-reinforced polymers

 Advantages this has over cast aluminium manifolds are:

 Up to a 60% reduction in weight
 Improved surface quality and aerodynamics
 Reduction in components by combining parts and forms into simpler moulded
shapes.

 Advantages over stamped aluminium are:

  Pedals can be moulded as single units combining both pedals and mechanical
linkages simplifying the production and operation of the design.
 Fibres can be oriented to reinforce against specific stresses, increasing the
durability and safety.
Aluminium windows, doors and facades get thermally insulated by using thermal insulation
plastics made of glass fibre reinforced polyamide. In 1977 Ensinger GmbH produced first
insulation profile for window systems.

Material requirements
A thermoset plymer plastic material, or engineering grade thermoplastic polymer matrix
material, must meet certain requirements in order to first be suitable for FRPs and ensure a
successful reinforcement of itself. The matrix must be able to properly saturate, and preferably
bond chemically with the fibre reinforcement for maximum adhesion within a suitable curing
period. The matrix must also completely envelop the fibres to protect them from cuts and
notches that would reduce their strength, and to transfer forces to the fibres. The fibres must
also be kept separate from each other so that if failure occurs it is localized as much as possible,
and if failure occurs the matrix must also debond from the fibre for similar reasons. Finally, the
matrix should be of a plastic that remains chemically and physically stable during and after the
reinforcement and moulding processes.
Glass fibre
"Fibreglass reinforced plastics" or FRPs (commonly referred to simply as fibre glass) use textile
grade glass fibre. These textile fibres are different from other forms of glass fibres used to
deliberately trap air, for insulating applications (see glass wool). Textile glass fibres begin as
varying combinations of SiO2, Al2O3, B2O3, CaO, or MgO in powder form. These mixtures are
then heated through direct melting to temperatures around 1300 degrees Celsius, after which
dies are used to extrude filaments of glass fibre in diameter ranging from 9 to 17 µm. These
filaments are then wound into larger threads and spun onto bobbins for transportation and
further processing. Glass fibre is by far the most popular means to reinforce plastic and thus
enjoys a wealth of production processes, some of which are applicable to aramid and carbon
fibres as well owing to their shared fibrous qualities..
Carbon fibre
Carbon fibres are created when polyacrylonitrile fibres (PAN), Pitch resins, or Rayon are
carbonized (through oxidation and thermal pyrolysis) at high temperatures. Through further
processes of graphitizing or stretching, the fibres strength or elasticity can be enhanced
respectively. Carbon fibres are manufactured in diameters analogous to glass fibres with
diameters ranging from 4 to 17 µm. These fibres wound into larger threads for transportation
and further production processes. Further production processes include weaving or braiding into
carbon fabrics, cloths and mats analogous to those described for glass that can then be used in
actual reinforcements.
Aramid fibre
Aramid fibres are most commonly known as Kevlar, Nomex and Technora. Aramids are
generally prepared by the reaction between an amine group and a carboxylic acid halide group
(aramid);. Commonly, this occurs when an aromatic polyamide is spun from a liquid
concentration of sulphuric acid into a crystallized fibre. Fibres are then spun into larger threads
in order to weave into large ropes or woven fabrics (Aramid). Aramid fibres are manufactured
with varying grades to based on varying
qualities for strength and rigidity, so that the
material can be somewhat tailored to specific
design needs concerns, such as cutting the
tough material during manufacture.
Fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC)
isCONCRETE containing fibrous
material which increases its structural
integrity. It contains short discrete fiber that
are uniformly distributed and randomly
oriented. Fibers include steel fibers, glass
fiber reinforced concrete, synthetic
fiber and natural fiber – each of which lend
varying properties to the concrete. In addition, the character of fiber-reinforced concrete
changes with varying concretes, fiber materials, geometries, distribution, orientation, and
densities.

Areas of Application of FRC materials:-

 Thin sheets
 shingles
 roof tiles
 pipes
 prefabricated shapes
 panels
 shotcrete
 curtain walls
 Slabs on grade
 precast elements
 Composite decks
 Vaults, safes.
 Impact resisting structures
Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (FRC) Strength
  The most important contribution of fiberreinforcement in concrete is not to strength but
to the flexural toughness of the material.
 When flexural strength is the main consideration, fiber reinforcement of concrete is not a
substitute for conventional reinforcement.
 The greatest advantage of fiber reinforcement of concrete is the improvement in flexural
toughness (total energy absorbed in breaking a specimen in flexure).
Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (FRC) Durability
 Fiber-reinforced concrete is generally made with a high cement content and low
water/cement ratio.
 When well compacted and cured, concretes containing steel fibers seem to possess
excellent durability as long as fibers remain protected by cement paste.
 Ordinary glass fiber cannot be used in portland cement mortars and concretes because of
chemical attack by the alkaline cement paste.

Mix Proportions:
 High cement content
 W/R admixtures (superplasticizers)
 small MSA
 Fibers (1-2% by volume)

Application of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete in other Structures:

A) Highway And Airfield Pavements:

 Repair of existing pavement.
 Reduction in pavement thickness.
 Increase in resistance to impact.
 Increase in transverse and longitudinal joint spacing
 Smooth riding surface.

B) Hydraulic Structures:
 Resistance to cavitations or erosion damage.
 Repair of spilling basin
.
C) Fiber Shotcrete (FRS):
 The inclusion of steel fibers in shotcrete improves many of the mechanical properties of
the basic material viz the toughness, impact resistance, shear strength, flexural strength, and
ductility factor.FRS has been used for
 Rock stabilization, tunnels, dams, mines.
 Bridges arches, dome structures, power-house
 Stabilization of slopes to prevent landslides repair of deteriorated concrete surface, water
channel etc.