Offering a combination of high strength, low weight and long service life, composite materials are increasingly being sought by clients from both government and industry to satisfy the demands for infrastructure solutions. The application of composite materials has become widely used in the United States, Russia, Malaysia and Brazil.
The technology uses the pultrusion process to manufacture fibrereinforced polymer (FRP) sections that are geometrically similar to rolled-steel rectangular hollow sections (RHS). This process, which combines vinyl ester resins with carbon, glass and/or aramid (Kevlar) fibres, results in high-strength structural components that are not prone to rot, corrosion or shrinkage.
Benefits of using the lightweight material include: rot and rust proof, low cost instillation, strength up to six times stronger than steel or concrete, and increased life span of strucures.