Fiberglass reinforcement. Reinforcement fiberglass. Which is better - fiberglass or steel

Fiberglass reinforcement, which appeared on the domestic market relatively recently, has become a worthy alternative to traditional metal bars. Glass fittings, as this material is also called, has many unique characteristics that distinguish it favorably from other products of this purpose. Meanwhile, the choice should be approached very carefully.

What is fiberglass reinforcement

Fiberglass reinforcement, if you understand its design features, is a non-metallic rod, on the surface of which a fiberglass winding is applied. The diameter of the spiral profile of reinforcement made of composite materials can vary in the range of 4–18 mm. If the diameter of a bar of such reinforcement does not exceed 10 mm, then it is released to the customer in coils, if it exceeds, then in bars, the length of which can reach up to 12 meters.

For the manufacture of composite reinforcement, various types of reinforcing fillers can be used, depending on this, it is divided into several categories:

• ASK - products made on the basis of fiberglass;
• AUK - carbon composite reinforcing products;
• AKK - fittings made of combined composite materials.

In the domestic market, fiberglass reinforcement is most widely used.

Structure Features

Fiberglass rebar is not just a bar of composite material. It consists of two main parts.

• The inner core consists of parallel fiberglass fibers interconnected with a polymer resin. Some manufacturers produce rebar, the fibers of the inner barrel of which are not parallel to each other, but curled into a pigtail. It should be noted that it is the internal fiberglass rebar that forms its strength characteristics.
• The outer layer of a reinforcing bar made of fiberglass can be made in the form of a bidirectional winding of fibers of a composite material or in the form of a spraying of a fine abrasive powder.

The design of fiberglass reinforcing bars, which largely determines their technical and strength characteristics, depends on the imagination of manufacturers and the technologies used by them to manufacture this material.

Basic properties

Fiberglass reinforcement, according to the results of numerous studies conducted by competent organizations, has a number of characteristics that distinguish it favorably from other materials of a similar purpose.

• Fiberglass reinforcing bars have a small mass, which is 9 times less than the weight of similar metal products.
• Fiberglass reinforcement, unlike metal products, is very resistant to corrosion, perfectly resists the effects of acidic, alkaline and salty environments. If we compare the corrosion resistance of such reinforcement with similar properties of steel products, then it is 10 times higher.
• The ability to conduct heat in fiberglass reinforcement is much lower than that of metal products, which minimizes the risk of cold bridges during its use.
• Due to the fact that fiberglass reinforcement is transported much easier, and its service life is much longer than that of metal, its use is more profitable financially.
• Fiberglass reinforcement is a dielectric material that does not conduct electric current, has absolute transparency for electromagnetic waves.
• It is much easier to use such material to create reinforcing structures than metal rods, for this there is no need to use welding equipment and technical devices for cutting metal.

Due to its indisputable advantages, fiberglass reinforcement, having appeared relatively recently on the domestic market, has already gained high popularity among both large construction organizations and private developers. Meanwhile, such fittings also have a number of disadvantages, the most significant of which include:

• sufficiently low modulus of elasticity;
• not too high thermal stability.

The low modulus of elasticity of fiberglass reinforcement is a plus in the manufacture of frames to strengthen the foundation, but a big minus if it is used to reinforce floor slabs. If it is necessary to apply in such cases, it is to this valve that it is first necessary to carry out careful calculations.

The low thermal stability of fiberglass reinforcement is a more serious disadvantage that limits its use. Despite the fact that such reinforcement belongs to the category of self-extinguishing materials and is not capable of serving as a source of fire propagation when used in concrete structures, it loses its strength characteristics at high temperatures. For this reason, such reinforcement can only be used to strengthen those structures that are not exposed to high temperatures during operation.

Another significant disadvantage of reinforcement made of fiberglass should be attributed to the fact that over time it loses its strength characteristics. This process is greatly accelerated if it is exposed to alkaline environments. Meanwhile, such a drawback can be avoided if fiberglass reinforcement made with the addition of rare earth metals is used.

How and from what fiberglass reinforcement is made

Many fiberglass reinforcement is familiar not only from photos on the Internet, but also in practice in construction, but few people know how it is produced. The technological process for the production of fiberglass reinforcing bars, which is very interesting to watch on video, is easy to automate and can be implemented on the basis of both large and small manufacturing enterprises.

For the manufacture of such a building material, first of all, it is necessary to prepare raw materials, which are used as aluminoborosilicate glass. In order to give the initial raw material the required degree of ductility, it is melted in special furnaces and threads are drawn from the resulting mass, the thickness of which is 10–20 microns. The thickness of the resulting threads is so small that if you shoot them in a photo or video, then you cannot see them without enlarging the resulting image. An oil-containing composition is applied to the glass fibers using a special device. Then beams are formed from them, which are called glass roving. It is these bundles, assembled from many thin threads, that are the basis of fiberglass reinforcement and largely form its technical and strength characteristics.

After the fiberglass filaments are prepared, they are fed to the production line, where they are turned into reinforcing bars of various diameters and lengths. The further technological process, which can be found on numerous videos on the Internet, is as follows.

• Through special equipment (creel) the threads are fed to the tensioning device, which simultaneously performs two tasks: it equalizes the stress in the glass threads, arranges them in a certain sequence and forms the future reinforcing bar.
• The bundles of threads, on the surface of which an oil-containing composition was previously applied, are blown over with hot air, which is necessary not only for their drying, but also for slight heating.
• Heated to the required temperature, the bundles of threads are lowered into special baths, where they are impregnated with a binder, also heated to a certain temperature.
• Then the bundles of threads are passed through the mechanism, with the help of which the final formation of the reinforcing bar of the required diameter is performed.
• If the reinforcement is made not with a smooth, but with a relief profile, then immediately after leaving the calibration mechanism, bundles of glass fibers are wound onto the main rod.
• To speed up the process of polymerization of binder resins, the finished reinforcing bar is fed into a tunnel furnace, before entering which a layer of fine sand is applied to the bars produced without winding.
• After exiting the furnace, when the fiberglass reinforcement is almost ready, the rods are cooled with running water and fed for cutting or to the mechanism for winding them into coils.

Thus, the technological process of manufacturing fiberglass reinforcement is not so complicated, which can be judged even from a photo or video of its individual stages. Meanwhile, such a process requires the use of special equipment and strict adherence to all modes.

In the video below, you can more clearly see the production process of composite glass fittings using the example of the TLKA-2 production line.

Parameters - weight, diameter, winding pitch

Reinforcement, for the manufacture of which fiberglass is used, is characterized by a number of parameters that determine the scope of its application. The most significant are:

• weight of one linear meter of reinforcing bar;
• for products with a relief profile - the step of winding fiberglass bundles on their surface;
• rebar diameter.

To date, reinforcement with a relief profile is produced mainly with a winding pitch of 15 mm.

The outer diameter of the reinforcing bar is characterized by a number that is assigned to the product in accordance with the Specifications for the production of such products. In accordance with TU, fiberglass reinforcing bars are now produced under the following numbers: 4; 5; 5.5; 6; 7; eight; ten; 12; fourteen; sixteen; 18. The weight of a running meter of fiberglass reinforcing bars on the modern market varies between 0.02–0.42 kg.

Types of fiberglass reinforcement and its scope

Reinforcement, for the production of which fiberglass is used, has many varieties that differ not only in diameter and profile shape (smooth and corrugated), but also in the area of ​​\u200b\u200buse. So, experts distinguish fiberglass reinforcement:

• working;
• mounting;
• distribution;
• specially designed for reinforcing concrete structures.

Depending on the tasks to be solved, such reinforcement can be used in the form of:

• piece bars;
• reinforcing mesh elements;
• reinforcing cages of various designs and dimensions.

Despite the fact that reinforcement made of fiberglass has recently appeared on the domestic market, enterprises, construction companies and individuals are already quite actively using it to solve various problems. Thus, the use of fiberglass reinforcement in construction is gaining popularity. With its help, foundations and other structures made of concrete are reinforced (drainage wells, walls, etc.), it is used to strengthen masonry made of bricks and block materials. The technical characteristics of fiberglass reinforcement make it possible to successfully use it in road construction: for reinforcing the roadway, strengthening embankments and weak foundations, and creating monolithic concrete foundations.

Individuals who are independently engaged in construction in their backyard or in the country, also managed to appreciate the merits of this material. The experience of using fiberglass reinforcement in dachas and gardens of private houses as arcs for the construction of greenhouses is interesting. On the Internet you can find many photos of such neat and reliable structures that are not subject to corrosion, are easy to install and just as easy to dismantle.

The big advantage of using such material (especially for individuals) is the ease of its transportation. Fiberglass rebar wound into a compact coil can be taken away even by a car, which cannot be said about metal products.

Which is better - fiberglass or steel?

To answer the question of which reinforcement is better to use - steel or fiberglass - one should compare the main parameters of these materials.

• If reinforcing bars made of steel have both elasticity and plasticity, then fiberglass products have only elasticity.
• In terms of tensile strength, fiberglass products are significantly superior to metal products: 1300 and 390 MPa, respectively.
• Fiberglass is also more preferable in terms of thermal conductivity: 0.35 W / m * C0 - against 46 for steel.
• The density of reinforcing bars made of steel is 7850 kg/m3, fiberglass - 1900 kg/m3.
• Fiberglass products, in contrast to steel reinforcing bars, have exceptional corrosion resistance.
• Fiberglass is a dielectric material, so products made from it do not conduct electricity, they are completely transparent to electromagnetic waves, which is especially important when building structures for a specific purpose (laboratories, research centers, etc.).

Meanwhile, fiberglass products do not work well in bending, which limits their use for reinforcing floor slabs and other heavily loaded concrete structures. The economic feasibility of using reinforcing bars made of composite materials also lies in the fact that they can be purchased in exactly the amount that you need, which makes their use practically waste-free.

Let's summarize all of the above. Even taking into account all the unique characteristics of composite reinforcement, it should be used very deliberately and only in those areas where this material performs best. It is undesirable to use such reinforcement to strengthen concrete structures, which during operation will experience very serious loads that can cause its destruction. In all other cases, the use of fiberglass reinforcement and other composite materials has proven to be effective.

To reduce the cost of construction, it is possible to use modern substitutes for traditional building materials. In our case, this is fiberglass reinforcement instead of steel.

Application

Composite fiberglass reinforcement is used for:

• reinforcement of foundations;
• industrial floors;
• strip foundations in private houses, cottages, light industrial buildings and structures;
• in ceilings on corrugated board;
• roads and road construction;
• in land management (for example, strengthening the coastline).

Advantages of fiberglass reinforcement

The main advantage is the reduction in the cost of construction work, which is provided by the following factors:

• prices are 40-50% lower than for steel reinforcement;
• produced in coils of 50 and 100 meters (except ASK 14 mm, which comes in 6 m whips), which reduces the amount of trimmings and waste;
• easy to cut and install on site;
• loading and delivery is cheap, because the reinforcement itself weighs 9 times less than steel.

There are 8 bays in the car (ASK 10 - Ø 10 mm) of 50 m each, which are necessary for pouring the foundation of 1 house.

At the same time, the total weight of 400 meters of rebar is about 48-50 kg and is easily loaded by 1 person in 10 minutes.

For more dense placement during transportation, we make bays of different diameters. For example, 2 bays of 50 meters each with reinforcement 8 mm thick:

Features of fiberglass reinforcement manufactured by VZKM

• We produce in accordance with GOST R 31938-2012 from Owens Corning's Advantex fiberglass, which meets high European standards.
• You can buy fiberglass reinforcement from us with a diameter of 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 and 14 mm in coils of 50 and 100 meters.
• It is possible to produce rebar thicker than 14 mm by special order.
• Resistance to chemical and mechanical influences - it is possible to store for a long time (fiberglass retains its properties for more than 80 years).
• We can launch 800,000 meters of rebar per month. There is always a stock of 20-60 thousand m.p. in stock. various diameters for implementation.

Prices for fiberglass reinforcement VZKM

Prices are for the purchase of 1 rebar coil. If you want to buy fiberglass reinforcement more than 1 bay, then call us and we will try to provide you with a more interesting price.

Wholesale prices for fiberglass rebar

If you represent a hardware store or a wholesale base of building materials, or you are a large building contractor (you need a one-time need from 1000 r.m. of fittings or there will be regular purchases), then we can offer special much lower prices with individual delivery conditions.

Get a wholesale price tag for fittings possible on request

Fiberglass reinforcement is widely used in construction in the west, while its use in the domestic industry is not widespread. However, in recent years, the popularity of this material is growing, the reason for this is the many operational advantages in comparison with traditional rolled metal.

This article presents fiberglass reinforcement (FRP). We will consider the technical characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, standard sizes and application of composite reinforcement.

1 Assortment and GOSTs

Non-metallic composite reinforcement was developed back in the USSR in the 60s, however, mass production of the material was never established due to the then high cost of fiberglass. Nevertheless, composite reinforcement was used in the construction of several large facilities, including power lines in Batumi, Moscow and bridges in Khabarovsk.

To date, there is no GOST standard with technical requirements for this material (the project is under development). The main regulation is SNiP №52-01-2003 "Composite reinforcement", according to which fiberglass products can be used in construction as a replacement for rolled metal. Each of the manufacturers has technical specifications for their products, along with which test reports and certificates of approval are supplied.

Composite reinforcement is produced in the range of diameters 4-20 mm. The profile of the rods can be corrugated or smooth. Depending on the material of manufacture, the following types of non-metallic products are distinguished:

• ASP - fiberglass reinforcement, made from fiberglass bonded with a layer of synthetic resin;
• ABP - basalt-plastic products, in which the fiberglass core is replaced by a melt of basalt fibers;
• ASPET - products made of fiberglass and polymer thermoplastic;
• AUP - carbon fiber reinforcement.

ASP and ABP are most common in construction, carbon fiber reinforcement is used less frequently due to the lower mechanical strength of the material.

1.1 Applications

Application of s.p. reinforcement in construction is practiced in the construction of residential, public and industrial buildings, as well as low-rise buildings, where ASP is used for:

• reinforcement of reinforced concrete structures (walls and floor slabs);
• repair of surfaces of objects made of brick and reinforced concrete;
• layered masonry walls using the technology of flexible connections;
• all types (slab, tape, columnar);
• strengthening of walls and aerated concrete blocks and installation of monolithic armored belts.

The use of s.p. fittings and in the field of road and railway construction, in which ASP is used:

• when arranging embankments and road surfaces;
• when strengthening the slopes of roads;
• during the construction of bridges;
• while strengthening coastlines.

Composite polymer rebar for reinforcing concrete structures is completely resistant to corrosion and chemically aggressive substances, which greatly expands its scope.

1.2 Benefits of TSA

Composite reinforcement has the following operational advantages:

Disadvantages of s.p. reinforcement - low modulus of elasticity (4 times less than that of steel), which limits the possibility of its use for vertical reinforcement, the tendency to lose strength when heated above 600 degrees. Please note that the composite reinforcement is not subject to bending in the conditions of the construction site- if it is necessary to use bent elements, they must be ordered separately from the manufacturer.

2 Comparison of ASP and metal analogues

We bring to your attention a comparison of the technical characteristics of composite and steel reinforcement.

Consider a comparison of interchangeable diameters of composite and metal products using the example of rods:

• A3 6 mm - ASP 4 mm;
• A3 8 mm - ASP 6 mm;
• A3 10 mm - ASP 8 mm;
• A3 12 mm - ASP 8 mm;
• A3 14 mm - ASP 10 mm;
• A3 16 mm - ASP 12 mm.

2.1 Overview of fiberglass reinforcement (video)

3 Technology for the production of composite products

Fiberglass reinforcement is made from roving (fibers of raw materials), a binder material - polymer resin, a hardener and a hardening accelerator. The specific ratio of materials depends on the temperature and humidity inside the production room.

See also: what is the difference between reinforcement, and what are its parameters?

The production line includes the following equipment:

1. Heating hopper - in it the fibers are heated to increase adhesion with the resin.
2. Impregnation bath - roving is impregnated with a mixture of resin and hardeners.
3. Wrapper - pushes the raw material through the dies, during the passage of which rods of a given diameter are formed.
4. Sand spreading equipment, where sand grains are evenly distributed over the surface of the rod, and the excess is removed by air flow.
5. Polymerization furnace, where the design strength of the bars takes place.
6. The equipment for cooling products is a line 3-5 meters long, located at the outlet of the polymerization furnace.
7. Broaching equipment, cutting mechanism and installation for winding coils - finished fiberglass reinforcement is cut into sections of the required length or wound into commercial coils 50-100 m long.

There are many standard solutions on the market, including all the necessary equipment. The cost of a new line varies within 3-5 million rubles.

Equipment of average productivity is capable of producing up to 15,000 m of rebar during the working day.

Fiberglass or composite reinforcement is an alternative to steel products and is used to reinforce concrete in cases where special requirements are placed on their physical and chemical properties. Fiberglass does not deteriorate from moisture, its mass is 9 times less than the mass of steel of the same strength. Thermal conductivity indicators reduce heat loss, and the temperature range is from -70 to 120 degrees. This material is used to reinforce concrete tanks in chemical plants, bridge supports and foundations. It is suitable for bonding multi-layer masonry walls and strengthening floors and screeds. Fiberglass is used in road construction in the construction of embankments and coatings.

Manufacturing technology

The main components of fiberglass rods are fiberglass and epoxy resin. First, the threads are impregnated with an adhesive, and then they undergo a polymerization process. To do this, they are pulled through the dies of the desired diameter. At the final stage, a relief is applied to a smooth surface by rolling between rollers, which have a corresponding corrugation. In this way, bars of a light yellow color are obtained, which have optimal adhesion to concrete. Products have a diameter of 4 mm to 2 cm. In addition to fiberglass, basalt, carbon and aramid fibers are used in production. In this case, the products differ in color and may have longitudinal ribbing. To obtain structures from reinforcement, fiberglass is bonded using plastic elements.

Advantages and disadvantages of fiberglass products

Fiberglass products are distinguished by increased tensile strength and are three times superior to steel reinforcement in this indicator. The density of fiberglass is much less than that of metal, respectively, the weight is also much lighter, which makes it possible to lighten the concrete structure. A significant advantage is that the plastic does not rust, even if it comes into contact with water, including sea water. The material does not react to the effects of alkalis, acids and other active chemicals. It does not break down in the cold and can withstand an unlimited number of freeze/thaw cycles. Fiberglass has low thermal conductivity, which contributes to the improvement of this characteristic in concrete products with composite reinforcement. In addition, composites and concrete have approximately the same coefficient of thermal expansion, so such structures are not subject to cracking. The armature is a dielectric and does not interfere with radio waves. It can be produced in any measured length. Due to the special properties of epoxy resin, long products can be wound into coils, and then restore their original straight state, while maintaining integrity and all their strength characteristics.

Fiberglass is significantly inferior to steel in elasticity, that is, it bends quite easily. For this reason, its use in ceilings must be accompanied by careful calculations. The material is fireproof, but at a temperature of about 600 degrees it softens and loses its mechanical properties. In hazardous industries, it is necessary to ensure the thermal protection of structures with such reinforcement. The strength of composite joints when creating a lattice leaves much to be desired. Alternatively, steel rods are attached to the ends of the fiberglass and welded. In the manufacture of structures of a special shape, it is necessary to order reinforcement with a certain bend, since it will not work to give it the desired look on the spot.

Fiberglass rebar is a building material made from glass roving bonded with an epoxy compound based on thermosetting resins. The main feature is lightness, the mass index per unit volume is only 2g/mm³. It is more convenient and economically feasible to work with fiberglass reinforcement than with metal reinforcement. Significantly less logistics and direct reinforcement costs are required.

In addition, due to the fact that fiberglass does not react to an aggressive environment, therefore, reinforcement protects concrete from premature destruction, thereby increasing the service life of the object. Fiberglass reinforcement reacts to temperature changes in the same way as concrete, which is also well reflected in the strength of the structure.

The strength of fiberglass in comparison with metal is 2.5 times higher. With all this, the thermal conductivity index is 100 times lower than the thermal conductivity index of steel. Therefore, a structure reinforced with fiberglass does not freeze through (does not form “cold bridges”) and an object built using fiberglass will be warmer than a building based on metal reinforcement. This allows you to reduce heating costs, and therefore the material is actively used in the construction of modern energy-efficient buildings.

Another undeniable advantage that may be of interest to builders is the fact that fiberglass is a surprisingly durable material that can do without additional repairs for 100 years after installation. This is what fiberglass reinforcement for the foundation is famous for.

Fiberglass reinforcement has found its application in many areas of industry, construction, utilities:

• in construction, it is used in the construction of civil and industrial construction projects as a basis for foundations, floors, beams, as well as in the construction of seismic belts;
• in the construction and repair of roads, reinforcement is used in the arrangement of embankments, roadbeds, in the construction of bridges and highway barriers. It is resistant to the effects of reagents that are applied to road surfaces (for example, anti-icing reagents), so it can be used both in Moscow and in colder regions.

Fiberglass reinforcement will be an ideal basis for concrete and brick structures. It is used in the creation of supports for power lines and lighting, in the construction of road, paving and fence slabs, as well as in the construction of sleepers on railway tracks. Reinforcement for ceilings, where a mesh of reinforcement is used, even together with a metal one, has received wide use.

Fiberglass is applicable in such building structures as a monolithic foundation and foam concrete. It is also actively used in the creation of structures that must have increased resistance to chemicals, for example:

• during the construction of storage facilities for chemical waste and components;
• in the arrangement of sewerage, water pipes, melioration systems;
• in the construction of port facilities and in the strengthening of coastlines.

Despite the uniqueness of the product, the price of fiberglass reinforcement in Moscow, which is indicated on our website, is an affordable material for both construction organizations and individuals. Its cost is 40-50% lower than the cost of steel reinforcement, which allows you to significantly reduce costs and at the same time improve the quality of the objects under construction. In general, composite reinforcement can be called one of the most reliable and efficient building materials of our time.

This reinforcement is made from straight strands of glass or basalt fibers (ASP and ABP, respectively), which are assembled into a bundle, impregnated with a thermosetting polymer binder, molded, heated (polymerized) and cooled. The result is a high-strength monolithic rod, which, according to test results, is 3 times higher than the tensile strength of steel, and the weight, in an equal strength ratio, is 9 times less.

Standardly manufactured in the form of rods of any length, at the request of the customer. With a diameter of up to 8 mm inclusive, it can be made in the form of coils (coils) containing 100 meters of reinforcement. Overall dimensions of the bay: height - up to 8 cm, diameter - up to 1 meter.

release form

With a diameter of 10 mm and 12 mm, it can be made in the form of coils (bay fittings) having a length of 50 meters. Overall dimensions of the bay: height - up to 5 cm, diameter - up to 1.5 meters.

By agreement with the customer, it is possible to manufacture rods and coils of any length.
It can be made with a smooth, building, periodic profile:

• ASP-ABP of a periodic profile, used instead of steel reinforcement of class A-III (A-400);
• ASP-ABP smooth profile, used instead of steel reinforcement class A-I (A-240).

Fiberglass reinforcement is becoming more and more popular and its use is becoming more and more relevant every year, because it is a complete replacement for traditional steel bars of different grades. High strength indicators, optimal performance properties, low specific weight and low price are the factors that determine the popularity of the use of non-metallic reinforcing elements in all areas of construction.