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If you’re a construction professional or property manager interested in what fiberglass-reinforced plastics (FRP) can bring to the table, you’re in the right place. This article takes a look at FRP’s perks and the situations in which FRP repairs shine as a solution.
The Perks of FRP Repairs
FRP’s unique advantages are numerous. For instance, the US Forest Service has published material indicating fiberglass “weighs between one-fourth and one-fifth as much as steel,” yet it offers a similar level of strength. Additionally, fiberglass has a surface veil made up of resin and polyester fabric. This lends durability because the surface veil helps prevent damage from water, ultraviolet light penetration, and corrosion.
The Forest Service, which studied FRP’s usefulness for trail bridges, also found that FRP made for fast, simple installation projects. Another advantage was the overall flexibility of FRP material, as it can “be formed into any shape” and modified in color.
The Forest Service also listed some drawbacks to FRP material. However, some of these, like a lack of performance history and a lack of unified codes, may diminish over time.
The Various Applications FRP Ducts and More
While the Forest Service’s report focused on trail bridges, FRP materials are useful in a wide range of applications. For instance, FRP ducts can be used in harsh environments in which other materials may quickly fall to corrosion and acidity.
FRP materials have also found a home in the realm of tank repairs. They have become a go-to material in firewater tank repairs and for patching up tanks that hold certain corrosive materials. The relatively short duration of projects involving FRP tank repairs often makes them an attractive alternative to outright tank replacements, which, by definition, take tanks out of service for longer.
FRP linings are another example of the usefulness of this material. When a tank receives an FRP lining, it gains enhanced resistance to corrosion, leaks, and other problems. FRP lining applications, like most other FRP projects, tend to be efficient time-wise and relatively cost-effective.
Contact Picon to Learn More
Picon has over 30 years of experience with Bay Area FRP repairs and similar projects. If you have a project coming up, we’d love to work with you, so get in touch!
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