Essential characteristics and applications of polymer composites in civil engineering

Abstract

Advances in construction materials enable civil and structural engineers to obtain important achievements in the functionality, safety and economy of construction. Polymeric composites are materials that contain a continuous polymeric matrix binding together and providing form to arrays of stronger and stiffer reinforcing constituents. Composite materials developed for structural applications provide attractive performance in other functional areas. These materials have higher specific strength and higher specific stiffness than traditional materials and can be tailored to meet specific demands, they exhibit good resistance to fatigue, have excellent corrosion resistance, dimensional stability and convenient electrical properties. Composite elements and structures can be fabricated efficiently and they are cost-competitive in life-cycle assessments. A realistic approach of the use of polymeric composites in civil engineering applications requires also a critical evaluation of the material drawbacks, therefore paper deals with some constrains
that may prevent or limit the use these materials in construction. Some frequent applications of fibre reinforced polymeric composites are also presented and discussed.