Reinforcement system with FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer)
Introduction
glass reinforced plastic or glass fiber reinforced plastic (PRFV), also known as GFRP (Glass-Fiber Reinforced Plastic), or GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic), is a composite material, formed by a plastic or resin matrix reinforced with glass fibers. It is not unusual to informally refer to this material simply as "fiberglass."
It is a light, resistant and easy to shape material, which is why it is widely used in the production of pieces with soft and complex shapes. In the nautical industry it is used to make the hull of some boats; in aeronautics and the automotive industry for parts and bodies, and in the construction sector as an envelope or façade in unique buildings with irregular shapes.
The most commonly used plastics are epoxy, polyester, vinylester and other thermoplastics.
History
The development of fiber-reinforced polymers for commercial use began in the 1930s. In 1932 the Owens-Illinois company produced the first batches of small diameter fiberglass on an industrial scale and in 1936 du Pont developed polyester resin. GRP began to be used during World War II in the manufacture of aircraft components and covers for electronic radar equipment.[1]
One of the main reasons that drove the development of GRP as a structural material at this time was the need for radomes for airplanes, due to its greater permeability to microwaves.
GRP continued to be used later and, although expensive, the material's ease of forming complex shapes when molded made it popular with designers. In the civil field it began to be used in the manufacture of boats, gaining acceptance in the 1950s, when it was already used to manufacture translucent sheets. From there it spread to the automobile and aeronautics industries, where it is being displaced by the more resistant carbon fiber.
Interest in fiberglass/polyester composite material for the construction industry began in the 1960s and increased, although it was at the end of the century when it began to be applied with certain criteria in structural elements.[1].
It is also used in the manufacture of gratings and screws, used in environments that require resistance to chemical attack or oxidation, and various types of channels and pipes.