GEOSTRENGTH FIBER-CFRP is a very strong and light fiber-reinforced polymer which contains carbon fiber. The polymer is most often epoxy but other polymers such as polyester, vinyl ester, or nylon are sometimes used. The resulting material is very strong and it has the best strength-to-weight ratio of all construction materials. It also has high rigidity, low density, excellent damping properties, and high resistance to impacting combined with exactly modifiable thermal expansion to complement the complex characteristic profile. Applied to reinforced concrete structures for flexure.
CFRP typically has a large impact on strength but only a moderate increase in stiffness. This is because the material used in the application is very strong but not stiff. CFRP can also be applied to enhance the shear strength and axial capacity of reinforced concrete.
Advantages:
- Non-intrusive
- Quick and easy to apply even in tight spaces
- Flexible and versatile, adapting to any structural shape
- Lightweight
- High tensile strength and excellent fatigue behavior
- Non-toxic & odorless
- Little aesthetic impact
- No limitation in length
- Six to ten times stronger than steel
- Corrosion-resistant
- Thermally compatible with common construction
- Low transportation costs
- Low cost of maintenance
Characteristics of Carbon Fiber CFRP’s are very flexible prior to curing so they can be easily applied to surfaces of varying shapes. CFRP’s are light enough to be handled without lifting equipment on the Jobsite and enough to be applied to low access spaces without interrupting operations. CFRP’s are very thin, adding as little as 0.5 mm – 1.0 mm thickness to surfaces depending on the layers required. The minimal change to the mass of the structure also eliminates the need to make foundation adjustments or other costly construction, reducing overall project costs.
