Materials

Fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) offers major advantages over conventional materials when used in building applications which require lightweight and/or maintenance-free characteristics. In recent years, FRP has been used in construction applications which require lightweight shapes, corrosion resistant components, and non-magnetic and/or electrically non-conductive members.

Fiberglass Trusses, Inc. uses FRP components constructed of E-glass and typically either polyester or vinylester resins. These components provide the following advantages over traditional steel, concrete, and wood members:

High Strength

Strengths range between 40,000 psi and 100,000 psi depending on fibers and resins used.

Lightweight

Weight is approximately 1/5th that of steel which allows for reduced shipping costs, easy handling, assembly and construction on-site.

Low Maintenance

Wet locations, marine (salt) environments, corrosive chemical exposures and insects (termites) have little or no effect on FRP material characteristics.

Electrically non-conductive and non-magnetic

Applications requiring dielectric and/or non-magnetic characteristics can now be constructed with high strength, lightweight and low maintenance FRP structural components.

Variety of Colors

The color is already in the composite so painting is not required. Any color can be provided. A urethane coating can be provided for additional protection if required by the application.

fiberglass truss

FRP has a low modulus of elasticity (E) to ultimate strength (Fu) ratio when compared with traditional materials:

Wood1,500,000/3000 = 500
Concrete4,000,000/5000 = 1200
Steel29,000,000/58000 = 500
FRP4,500,000/60000 = 75

This material characteristic is advantageous as it is much easier to prestress FRP than other materials. Fiberglass Trusses, Inc. has developed a proprietary prestressing approach which makes use of the high strength/low modulus material characteristics to create unique light weight/high strength structural components for ease in construction. Higher strength and stiffness carbon and kevlar materials can also be used to increase the advantages of prestressing.