Expanding the horizons for composites in construction

Industry body Composites UK will launch a new construction sector group next month to support and promote the growth of fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) in the industry.

Bernadette Ballantyne
23 September 2015

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The use of FRP composites in the construction sector has remained subdued since the recession with the higher capital cost of materials deterring investment.

But as whole life costing really takes off client bodies are starting to appreciate the benefits of lower installation and maintenance costs, not to mention the high durability of such structures.

“Construction is an industry where composites have only really scratched the surface in terms of the applications and volumes of potential uses. The potential is huge,”  Dr Sue Halliwell, Composites UK.

“A good example is the Dawlish railway station that was battered by storms. The line was destroyed but the FRP bridge that we designed survived completely,” points out Neil Farmer, executive director at Tony Gee and a former member of the  Network Group for Composites Construction (NGCC) Steering Group.

Having examined options for its future, NGCC itself was dissolved at its AGM in April this year but its efforts to educate and inform the industry on the potential for FRP is being taken forward by Composites UK.

The trade body, which represents the entire composites supply chain across all sectors, is keen to build on the work already undertaken and will launch a new Construction Sector Group on 6th October at the Construction Sector Showcase at the Building Centre in London.

“Construction is an industry where composites have only really scratched the surface in terms of the applications and volumes of potential uses. The potential is huge,” says Dr Sue Halliwell, operations manager for Composites UK.

She says that the body, which currently has 230 member companies has been looking to set up sector specific groups in order to improve communications and collaboration between the composites industry and its various markets.

“It is a really exciting time to focus on the construction sector. It is a huge potential growth industry and we are excited to take up the challenge.” Dr Sue Halliwell, Composites UK.

“Construction is our first sector group and we have set it up now because the NGCC was dissolved and the opportunity was there to continue and develop the work that NGCC had done,” she adds.

Top of the list for the new CSG is completion of a new design guide for bridges.

”We are driving the completion of the bridge design guide that NGCC had started and we have now got a completed draft that we are hoping to publish early next year. This will help bridge designers significantly,” says Halliwell explaining that the guide refers to Eurocodes that are being developed for FRP structures and American standards that are also in development.

Producing the guide is particularly important now with both Farmer and Halliwell pointing to growing interest from the UK’s biggest asset owners such as Network Rail, Highways England, Local Authorities, the Canal and River Trust, London Underground and even HS2. Many of these organisations have already implemented FRP structures and the group sees renewed interest on taking this forward.

“Following the recession the use of composites lost impetus but now we have the opportunity to expand the horizons of composite materials,” Neil Farmer, Tony Gee and Partners.

Internationally too Farmer says that the UK through the new CSG has the potential to support global growth from both a design perspective and manufacturing and supply of products.

“There are a huge number of applications for buildings overseas. The Middle East in particular is a big market where UK firms could get involved.”

The launch of the new group then is coming at a good time for the UK which in the past has led on the use of FRP. “Following the recession the use of composites lost impetus but now we have the opportunity to reenergise the group, engage some new people that don’t know about the materials and expand the horizons of composite materials,” says Farmer.

Halliwell agrees: “It is a really exciting time to focus on the construction sector. It is a huge potential growth industry and we are excited to take up the challenge.”