Grc/gfrc (glass fibre reinforced concrete)

Glass fiber reinforced concrete, also known as GFRC or GRC, is a type of fiber-reinforced concrete.
Glass fiber concretes are mainly used in exterior building façade panels and as architectural precast
concrete. Somewhat similar materials are fiber cement siding and cement boards.

Composition
Glass fiber-reinforced concrete consists of high-strength glass fiber embedded in a concrete
matrix.[1] In this form, both fibers and matrix retain their physical and chemical identities,
while offering a synergistic combination of properties that cannot be achieved with either of
the components acting alone. In general, fibers are the principal load-carrying members,
while the surrounding matrix keeps them in the desired locations and orientation, acting as a
load transfer medium between the fibers and protecting them from environmental damage.
The fibers provide reinforcement for the matrix and other useful functions in fiber-reinforced
composite materials. Glass fibers can be incorporated into a matrix either in continuous or
discontinuous (chopped) lengths.

Laminates

A widely used application for fiber-reinforced concrete is structural laminate, obtained by

adhering and consolidating thin layers of fibers and matrix into the desired thickness. The
fiber orientation in each layer as well as the stacking sequence of various layers can be
controlled to generate a wide range of physical and mechanical properties for the composite
laminate. GFRC cast without steel framing is commonly used for purely decorative
applications such as window trims, decorative columns, exterior friezes, or limestone-like
wall panels.

Properties
The design of glass-fiber-reinforced concrete panels uses a knowledge of its basic properties
under tensile, compressive, bending and shear forces, coupled with estimates of behavior
under secondary loading effects such as creep, thermal response and moisture movement.

There are a number of differences between structural metal and fiber-reinforced composites.
For example, metals in general exhibit yielding and plastic deformation, whereas most fiber-
reinforced composites are elastic in their tensile stress-strain characteristics. However, the
dissimilar nature of these materials provides mechanisms for high-energy absorption on a
microscopic scale comparable to the yielding process. Depending on the type and severity of
external loads, a composite laminate may exhibit gradual deterioration in properties but
usually does not fail in a catastrophic manner. Mechanisms of damage development and
growth in metal and composite structure are also quite different. Other important
characteristics of many fiber-reinforced composites are their non-corroding behavior, high
damping capacity and low coefficients of thermal expansion.

Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete architectural panels have the general appearance of pre-cast

concrete panels, but differ in several significant ways. For example, the GFRC panels, on
average, weigh substantially less than pre-cast concrete panels due to their reduced thickness.
Their low weight decreases loads superimposed on the building’s structural components
making construction of the building frame more economical.

Sandwich panels

A sandwich panel is a composit of three or more materials bonded together to form a

structural panel. It takes advantage of the shear strength of a low density core material and
the high compressive and tensile strengths of the GFRC facing to obtain high strength-to-
weight ratios.

GFRC sandwich panels at Public Library Lope de Vega -Tres Cantos-(Madrid) -Spain-

The theory of sandwich panels and functions of the individual components may be described
by making an analogy to an I-beam. The core in a sandwich panel is comparable to the web
of an I-beam, which supports the flanges and allows them to act as a unit. The web of the I-
beam and the core of the sandwich panels carry the beam shear stresses. The core in a
sandwich panel differs from the web of an I-beam in that it maintains a continuous support
for the facings, allowing the facings to be worked up to or above their yield strength without
crimping or buckling. Obviously, the bonds between the core and facings must be capable of
transmitting shear loads between these two components, thus making the entire structure an
integral unit.

The load-carrying capacity of a sandwich panel can be increased dramatically by introducing

light steel framing. Light steel stud framing is similar to conventional steel stud framing for
walls, except that the frame is encased in a concrete product. Here, the sides of the steel
frame are covered with two or more layers of GFRC, depending on the type and magnitude of
external loads. The strong and rigid GFRC provides full lateral support on both sides of the
studs, preventing them from twisting and buckling laterally. The resulting panel is
lightweight in comparison with traditionally reinforced concrete, yet is strong and durable
and can be easily handled

cladding
Screens and sections-
http://dir.indiamart.com/impcat/glass-fiber-reinforced-concrete-mesh.html

gfrc rain screens

help preserve homes

Using GFRC rain screens to construct the exteriors of residential or commercial property help
preserve the structure. Rain Screens not only look creative, but function by redirecting water flow
onto vertical surfaces. Rainwater runs down the front and back of the panel, and is diverted away
from underlying structural layers. This helps prevent water infiltration into the building wall
assembly which causes rot an mold growth. To utilize a full green building system, the water can be
routed into reservoirs that collect it for later use. These rain screens also improve energy efficiency
in existing structures and newly constructed buildings. Panels reflect the sun's rays, keeping interiors
cooler. We are increasing this "Heat Island Effect" reduction capability by replacing 20% of our
cement load with pure white VCAS. Three cheers for rain screens! -Nikki