Behaviour of pultuded GFRP composites under tensile and compressive loading

Abstract

Glass fibre reinforced polyester (GFRP) pultruded composite consists of polyester resin (thermosetting polymer) as a matrix and glass fibre as reinforcement. It is manufactured through a continuous pultrusion process to form structural sections. During the manufacturing process, the form(s) of continuous glass fibres are pulled from one end of the line into a resin bath that contains liquid polyester resin, curing agent (initiator), and other ingredients. The fibre-resin is then passed through in the heated die for curing to form a hard, solid and continuous structural section. Since 1990s, the use of the glass fibre reinforced polymeric composites in the construction industry has grown very rapidly especially in developed countries. The applications of the composite material are mainly in building structures, bridges, offshore structures, etc. The development of the material in the construction industry in Malaysia is still at its infancy. In local current applications, the use of the material is only visible in marine and aircraft technology, and chemical industries where fabrication process are employed mainly by close- and open moulded techniques. But, in the construction industry, the pultrusion technique is normally employed to fabricate structural components. The material has been used for secondary structures such as water tanks, light poles, platform gratings, beams, cladding and piping.