Glass Reinforced Concrete

Glass fiber concretes are mainly used in exterior building facades. Glass reinforced concrete is popular due to its low density. The low density makes it easy to manipulate and is preferred to steel. Glass reinforced concrete consists of several different materials. The strength of the material is due to the glass fiber that is embedded within the microstructure of the concrete. By mixing concrete and glass fibers it is capable of creating a material that is considerably stronger than glass and concrete. Glass reinforced concrete is generally used in structural applications known as laminate. Laminate is created by stacking several different layers of glass reinforced fiber until a desired thickness is created. The orientation of the layer determines the physical and mechanical properties of the composite. Glass reinforced concrete has many positive traits. Glass reinforced concrete has a high tensile and elasticity. Therefore it is less likely to deform under high stress or force. The structure of the composite also makes it an extremely light weight material and is ideal for transportation. Glass reinforced concrete is also a more economical solution to standard concrete or steel composites.

Glass reinforced concrete has a similar finish to stone textures. This is due to the wet cast concrete nature of composite. Under weathering there may be slight fading but no damage can be done to the structural integrity of the composite. The high strength to weight ratio of glass reinforced concrete provides some obvious structural advantages of construction steel. Transportation and erection costs also make it a more attractive substitute to many materials that require transportation. Other benefits include the highly resistant nature of glass reinforced concrete to corrosion. The composites nature allows it to withstand acidic chemicals and deformations due to weathering. The ability to alter the color and texture also provides designers and architects with a wider range of choices to choose from. Many different companies are capable of providing glass reinforced concrete. However it is important to note that many companies offer consumers a variety of different composites and materials. The key factor that wins many buyers is the wide array of choices that glass reinforced concrete brings into the construction market. Using Glass reinforced concrete provides companies to construct cheaper and more unique designs. Maintenance costs are also significantly low when it is compared to standard concrete and steel alloy buildings.

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