GLASS FIBER REINFORCED

CONCRETE

INDEX
INTRODUCTION
HISTORY
PROPERTIES OF GLASS FIBER
FACTORS AFFECTING PROPERTIES OF FRC
TYPE OF GLASS FIBRE
CASTING AND MANUFACTURING OF GRC
APPLICATION
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
COMPARISON OF GFRC TO PRECAST CONCRETE

INTRODUCTION
Glass fiber reinforced concrete, also known as GFRC or GRC consists of
high-strength glass fiber embedded in a concrete matrix. It contains short
discrete fibers that are uniformly distributed and randomly oriented. Glass
fiber concretes are mainly used in exterior building faade panels and as
architectural precast concrete.

COMPOSITION :
GFRC is a form of concrete that uses fine sand, of
hydraulic cement, silica, sand, polymer (usually an
acrylic polymer), water, other admixtures and
alkali-resistant (AR) glass fibers. Fiber content
varies, but is generally about 5% to 7% of the
cementitious weight. Glass fibers can be
incorporated into a matrix either in continuous or
discontinuous (chopped) lengths.

HISTORY
Experiments to reinforce concrete with glass fiber were first
carried out in the late. These were unsuccessful due to the
alkaline nature of the cement attacking and breaking down the
fibers.
The problem was solved in the mid 1960s with the
development of alkaline resistant glass fibers containing a high
level of zirconium dioxide.
This allowed manufacturers to produce very thin (10-15mm)
sections with resultant savings in component weight.
GRC was primarily used as a cladding.
Throughout the rest of the world GRC became more widely
accepted as an expression of architectural design.

PROPERTIES OF GLASS FIBER:

The material characteristics will be influenced by the concrete reinforcement
spacing, and the concrete reinforcement mesh.
High tensile strength
High modulus
Impact resistance
Shear strength
Water resistance
Thermal conductivity
Low thermal expansion
Light weight and low density
Resistance to corrosion
Fire endurance
Resistance to crack in concrete.
Cast in any shape
It has a high ratio of strength-to-weight.

Fig: The glass fibers, later on mixed in

concrete to form GRC

FACTORS AFFECTING PROPERTIES OF FRC:

Relative fiber matrix
Volume of fiber
Aspect ratio of fiber
Orientation of fiber
Workability and compaction of concrete
Size of coarse aggregate
mixing

TYPE OF GLASS FIBRE:

A- Glass (close to normal glass)
C- glass (resists chemical attack)
E- glass(insulation to electricity)
AE- Glass(alkali resistance)
S- Glass(high strength fiber)

About GRC:
Glass fiber reinforced concrete was originally developed in the 1940s in
Russia, but it wasnt until 1970s that the current form came into use.
GRC (glass reinforced concrete) spray mix is a fiber reinforced pre-cast
concrete a typical wall thickness of 12 to 15mm thick. Hollow rib profiles
are created which are between 50 and 100mm in depth and are not visible
once the faade is assembled. It looks like solid concrete, although it
weighs only one-third of it.

CASTING:
GRC or GFRC is made in thin concrete sections
created by a proprietary process of machine
spraying an enriched OP cement and aggregate
mix within which alkali resistant glass fibers
provide the reinforcement.

MANUFACTURING GRC
It is generally manufactured
sprayed process : Used for large items
premix process : Used for small items
Premix GRC can either be vibration compacted, or
manufactured using a self compacting GRC mix.

Water and admixture is placed in high shear

mixer then cement is added. This mixture is
sprayed to 10-15 mm and kept till 7 days.
GFRC Spray premix

Sprayed GRC is generally stronger than

premix vibration cast GRC. The reasons
for this are firstly that with sprayed GRC it
is possible to achieve a fiber content of 5%
- 6% whereas premix GRC is limited to
around 3% - 3.5%. Secondly, sprayed
GRC has a lower water content than
premix GRC.

Fiber content in GRC product

APPLICATION

For applications, the Spray-Up process is generally used and the

GFRC skin is panelized on a steel stud frame and weighs 20-25
lbs per square foot. Due to its extreme flexibility in design and
function, it is also used extensively in applications not requiring a
steel stud frame and is generally produced using one of the Premix
processes.
Ornamentation
Interior details
Landscape furnishings
Architectural projects
Airfields and runways
Exterior cladding

In rocket launch pads

interior cladding

Repair executed using GRC:

Moldings

Fire pit
Arches
and
columns

THE BRIDGE PAVILLION IN SPAIN (270M LONG)

ADVANTAGES
GRC is approximately 80% lighter than pre-cast steel reinforced
concrete cladding.
Reinforcement: Since GFRC is reinforced internally, there is no need
for other kinds of reinforcement.
Consolidation: For sprayed GFRC, no vibration is needed
Equipment: Expensive equipment is not needed for poured or vibrated.
Surface finish: Because it is sprayed on, the surface has no bug holes
or voids.
Adaptability: GFRC can adapt to nearly any complex shape, from
rocks to fine ornamental details.
Environmental friendly due to lower co2 emissions caused during
manufacture.
Less transportation cost and easy to handle
Long durability and less damage or cracking

Sustainable: Because it uses less cement than equivalent concrete and

also often uses significant quantities of recycled materials (as a
pozzolan).
Disaster Resistant:
Hurricanes, floods, fires and earthquakes are no match for Stromberg
GFRC. Over the years it has proven itself both in the lab and in the real
world.

DISADVANTAGES:
Workers are most likely to get affected by exposure to fiber glass.
Some of the problems are:
A rash can appear on skin and red eyes
Temporary stomach irritation
The problem with using glass fibers as reinforcement for concrete is
that glass breaks down in an alkaline environment. You may have heard
of concrete being damaged by alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) when there
is reactive silica in the aggregate. Glass is primarily silica.

Comparison of GFRC to Precast Concrete

The elasticity and density of the GFRC is greater than precast
concrete.
The cement to sand ratio for GFRC is approximately 1:1, while for
precast concrete it is 1:6.
The glass fibers included to reinforce the concrete produce
greater impact strength and lower permeability to water and air than
precast concrete.
GFRC looks like a natural stone and permits the designer greater
flexibility in form, color, and texture.