Growing role of composites in infrastructure

From bridges to rebar and pilings, composites provide installation and life cycle cost savings over steel and concrete.

Aging infrastructure is an often-cited global problem with bridges, waterfronts and other structures in need of rehabilitation, and in many cases, replacement. Composites offer the advantages of corrosion resistance and durability, which contribute to low maintenance and long service life for structures, contributing to life cycle cost savings and a long-term economic advantage over traditional materials such as steel and concrete. Many advocates in the composites industry, from material suppliers to fabricators, are working to spread awareness about the benefits advanced materials offer to update infrastructure the world over. Resistance to change, concerns over unit material costs and skepticism over the performance of new materials have proven difficult hurdles for advanced materials advocates to overcome, but all of that is gradually starting to change.

As awareness of the advantages of composites expands, many fabricators and suppliers say conversations with civil engineers are turning away from resistance to change and skepticism over material capabilities to other factors such as cost and capabilities of the materials. And that’s a good thing. The goal is not to replace legacy materials but to allow engineers and designers to fully understand the potential of composites so they can make informed decisions.

The advantages of glass fiber reinforced bar substitute include corrosion resistance, improved durability, light weight, easy installation, higher tensile strength and longer service life.