I

NTRODUCTI
ON
O1 GLASS FIBRE REINFORCED GYPSUM GFRG
PANEL OR RAPID WALL IS A MODERN BUILD
ING ELEMENT DEVISED BY THE GFRG BUILD
ING SYSTEM AUSTRALIA FOR MASS SCALE
CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES IN A VERY SHORT
SPAN OF TIME.

A GFRG PANEL IS BASICALLY CALCINED GYPSUM PLASTER, REINFORCED

WITH GLASS FIBRES WHICH WHEN FILLED WITH REINFORCED CONCRETE IN AN
APPROPRIATE PROPORTION BECOMES STRONG ENOUGH TO ACT AS A LOAD
BEARING AND SHEAR WALL.

GFRG PANELS CAN EVEN RESIST THE LATERAL LOADS DUE TO EARTHQUAKES
AND WIND. NOT ONLY THE WALLS, BUT THE ROOFS, FLOORS, SUNSHADES AND
THE BOUNDARY WALLS CAN BE ALSO MADE USING GFRG PANELS. LOOKING AT
ITS SUCCESS AND INNUMERABLE ADVANTAGES, THE TECHNOLOGY SPREAD LIKE
WILDFIRE AND IS BEING ADOPTED HEAVILY THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY.

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GFRG PANELS ARE ORIGINALLY WHITE IN COLOR DUE TO GYPSUM AND HAVE
A SMOOTH FINISHED SURFACE. THEY CAN BE WHITEWASHED OR PAINTED
WITHOUT CEMENT PLASTERING THE WALLS, THEREFORE, PROVIDING SOME
SCOPE OF CREATIVITY FOR THE CLIENT.

BUILDINGS USING GLASS FIBER REINFORCED GYPSUM GFRG PANELS HOLD

PROMISE AS A RAPID, AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE MASS HOUSING
SOLUTION. GFRG PANELS ARE MADE OF CALCINED

DETAILS OF A GFRG PANEL THE TYPICAL DIMENSION OF A GFRG

BUILDING PANEL IS 12 X 3 X 0.127M
WHICH WEIGHS AROUND 1.6 TONS. IT
IS PROVIDED WITH 4 CAVITIES WITHIN
1 METER OF THE PANEL.
GFRG PANEL BASED CONSTRUCTION IS A
NEW APPROACH TO BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION.
EVEN THOUGH GFRG PANEL TECHNOLOGY
IS WIDELY ACCEPTED AND USED IN THE
SOUTHERN PART OF INDIA MOSTLY IN
TAMIL NADU, ANDHRA PRADESH AND
KERALA , IT IS NOT USED IN THE
NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. THE
MAIN REASON IS THE TRANSPORTATION
COST OF THESE PANELS WHICH MAKES
THE USE OF THESE PANELS
NON VIABLE.

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 ADVANT
AGESOFGFRG
O3 COST EFFECTIVE AND INNOVATIVE/
ALTERNATIVE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL.
SUSTAINABLE / ENVIRONMENTALLY
FRIENDLY.
EASY, FAST & ECONOMICAL CONSTRUCTION.
THE STRUCTURE IS SAFE AGAINST NATURAL
DISASTERS LIKE EARTHQUAKES, CYCLONES
AND FIRE.
THE STRUCTURE OFFERS GOOD SOUND
INSULATION QUALITY.
GFRG BASED BUILDING SYSTEM IS ENERGY
EFFICIENT, STRONG & DURABLE.
LESS EMBODIED ENERGY AND CO2
EMISSIONS.
OFFERS LESS BUILT UP AREA FOR THE
SAME CARPET AREA.
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN USE OF
CEMENT, SAND, STEEL AND WATER.
THE STRUCTURE IS LIGHTWEIGHT AND
ACCURATE WEIGHT OF PANELS 43
KG/SQM , CONTRIBUTING TO SAVINGS IN
FOUNDATION AND REDUCTION IN DESIGN
FOR EARTHQUAKE FORCES, PARTICULARLY
IN MULTI STORIED CONSTRUCTION.
CONSTRUCTION OF 8 10 STOREYS BUILDING
CAN BE DONE WHEN THE GFRG PANEL
SYSTEM IS DESIGNED AS A LOAD BEARING
SYSTEM, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR COLUMNS
AND BEAMS.
EXCELLENT FINISHES AND THERE IS NO
NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PLASTERING. THIS
FEATURE ALSO ADDS TO THE SAVINGS.
THE STRUCTURE IS FIREPROOF,
EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT AND HAS GOOD
SOUND ATTENUATION QUALITY
THE DURABILITY OF THE GFRG BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION IS THE SAME AS THE
CONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION.

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 DI
SADVANT
AGESOFGFRG
O4 EXPERTISE REQUIRED TO MAKE A HOUSE
USING THIS TECHNOLOGY. THE HANDING,
FIXING AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR
THESE PANELS ARE FAIRLY DIFFERENT
FROM CONVENTIONAL STYLE.

THE PANELS ARE CUSTOMIZED ACCORDING

TO THE DESIGN INCLUDING THE OPENINGS
ALSO , HENCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO
MAKE CHANGES DURING THE FIXING STAGE.

FOR BUILDING TO BE BUILT ON THE GFRG

PANEL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT LIKE THE
CRANE IS REQUIRED. IN ADDITION TO
THIS, A GOOD AMOUNT OF SPACE AROUND
THE PLOT IS REQUIRED FOR CRANE
MOVEMENT

SPECIAL CARE IS NECESSARY WHILE

STORING THE PANELS. ALSO, MORE SPACE
IS REQUIRED AS COMPARED TO
CEMENT/BLOCKS. THIS MAKES IT
DIFFICULT FOR A FULL SCALE
IMPLEMENTATION IN INDIA MASS HOUSING
OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING .

THE PANELS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR

CURVED WALLS OR DOMES. IN CASE IT IS
ESSENTIAL, USE MASONRY/CONCRETE FOR
THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

THE ELECTRICAL/PLUMBING SYSTEM SHOULD

BE SUCH THAT MOST OF THE PIPES GO
THROUGH THE CAVITIES IN ORDER TO
FACILITATE MINIMUM CUTTING OF PANEL

THE SPAN OF A SLAB FLOOR/ROOF

SHOULD BE RESTRICTED TO A MAXIMUM OF
5 M.

GFRG PANEL BASED CONSTRUCTION IS ONLY

IDEAL IF THE SAME FLOOR/ROOF IS
REPLICATED FOR ALL FLOORS IN A

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 MANUF ACTURE&
O5 TRANSPORTATI
ON

MANUFACTURE

1. THE MANUFACTURE OF GFRG PANELS IS DONE

IN A SEMI AUTOMATIC PLANT USING THE SLURRY
OBTAINED BY HEATING THE CALCINED RAW
GYPSUM.

2. THE CALCINED RAW GYPSUM PLASTER IS

MIXED WITH WATER, WHITE CEMENT AND CERTAIN
CHEMICALS LIKE D50 RETARDER AND
BS94 WATER REPELLANT IN A MIXER.

3. DIFFERENT LAYERS OF SLURRIES ARE THEN

SPREAD OVER A TABLE AND ARE INTERSPERSED
WITH GLASS FIBRES AND ALUMINUM PLUGS FOR
CREATING HOLLOW CAVITIES .

4. AFTER HALF AN HOUR OR SO, THE ALUMINUM

PLUGS ARE REMOVED AND THE PANELS ARE SENT
TO A DRYER.

TRANSPORTATION
GFRG PANELS CAN BE EASILY TRANSPORTED FROM FACTORY TO SITE VIA
TRUCKS OR TRAILERS. IT MUST BE ENSURED THAT THE PANELS ARE PUT IN A
VERTICAL POSITION USING STILLAGES TO AVOID ANY DAMAGE DURING
TRANSPORTATION.

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 O6CONSTRUCTION
FOUNDATION
FOR RAPIDWALL BUILDINGS/ HOUSING A CONVENTIONAL FOUNDATION LIKE
SPREAD FOOTING, RCC COLUMN FOOTING, RAFT OR PILE FOUNDATION IS USED
AS PER THE SOIL CONDITION AND LOAD FACTORS. ALL AROUND THE BUILDING
RCC PLINTH BEAM IS PROVIDED AT BASEMENT PLINTH LEVEL. FOR ERECTION
OF PANEL AS WALL, 12 MM DIA VERTICAL REINFORCEMENT OF 0.75M LONG OF
WHICH 0.45M PROTRUDES UP AND REMAINING PORTION WITH 0.15M ANGLE IS
PLACED INTO THE RCC PLINTH BEAMS BEFORE CASTING. START UP RODS ARE
AT 1M CENTRE TO CENTRE.

CONSTRUCTION USING GFRG PANELS

1. THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS UP TO THE PLINTH
LEVEL REMAINS SIMILAR AS IN THE CONVENTIONAL
METHOD. NO SPECIAL FOUNDATION IS REQUIRED FOR
THE INSTALLATION OF GFRG PANELS.

2. CONCRETE BELTS ARE BUILT AT THE PLINTH AREA

WITH PROTRUDING IRON RODS WHICH ARE MEANT TO
STRENGTHEN THE INTERLOCKING WITH THE CELLS OF
THE PANEL.

3. GFRG PANELS ARE PLACED AT THE APPROPRIATE

POSITIONS USING MECHANICAL MEANS, PREFERABLY A
CRANE, AND EXTERNAL SUPPORTS ARE PROVIDED TO
MAINTAIN THE VERTICALITY. NECESSARY CUTS FOR
DOORS, WINDOWS, SANITARY FITTINGS, VENTS ETC.
ARE MADE AS PER THE DESIGN.

4. THE HOLLOW CAVITIES ARE FILLED WITH

CONCRETE AND REINFORCEMENT AS PER THE
REQUIREMENT TO STRENGTHEN THE PANELS.
GENERALLY, CONCRETE IS FILLED IN EVERY THIRD
CAVITY OF THE PANEL AND THE REMAINING CAVITIES
CAN BE FILLED WITH WASTE MATERIALS LIKE QUARRY
DUST.

5. FINALLY, WATERPROOFING TREATMENT IS CARRIED

OUT FOR THE ROOFS AND FLOORS OF THE BUILDING.

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 O7 J
OINTS
WALL TO WALL ‘L’, ‘T’, ‘+’ ANGLE JOINTS AND HORIZONTAL WALL JOINTS
ARE MADE BY CUTTING OF INNER OR OUTER FLANGES OR WEB APPROPRIATELY
AND INFILL OF CONCRETE WITH VERTICAL REINFORCEMENT WITH STIRRUPS
FOR ANCHORAGE.
GFRG WALL JOINTS

RCC INFILL TO INCREASE LOAD CAPABILITY VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION JOINTS

RAPIDWALL PANEL CAN ALSO BE USED FOR INTERMEDIARY FLOOR SLAB / ROOF
SLAB IN COMBINATION WITH EMBEDDED RCC MICRO BEAMS AND RCC SCREED
CONCRETE

GFRG EMBEDDED WITH RCC MICRO BEAMS AND RCC

SCREED CONCRET

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VISUAL DEPICTION
 O8 WHY IS GFRG SUPERIOR THAN
CONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION?
GYPSUM WHICH IS A BY PRODUCT OF FERTILIZER
INDUSTRY IS USED TO MAKE THE PANELS
ECONOMICAL AND ECO FRIENDLY. GLASS FIBRE
IS USED AS REINFORCING AGENT WHICH ENHANCES
THE STRENGTH OF THE PANELS. EVENTUALLY THE
USAGE OF CEMENT IS REDUCED.

ONE CEMENT INDUSTRY ALONE ACCOUNTS FOR 5%

INCREASE IN CO2 EMISSION. BY USING GFRG
PANELS CEMENT USAGE IS REDUCED AND THEREBY
REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION.

IN SITE THEY ARE JUST ERECTED USING CRANES.

THOSE HOLLOW CAVITIES INSIDE THE PANELS ARE
FILLED WITH CONCRETE AND STEEL. CONCRETE IS
POURED IN EVERY THIRD CAVITY OF THE PANEL
AND OTHER CAVITIES CAN BE FILLED WITH WASTE
MATERIALS LIKE QUARRY DUST HENCE IT BECOMES
MORE ECONOMICAL THAN CONVENTIONAL
CONSTRUCTION METHODS.

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 APPLI
CATI
ONS&
O9 PROPERTI
APPLICATIONS
ES

1. AS A LIGHT WEIGHT BEARING WALL

2.AS HIGH CAPACITY VERTICAL AND SHEAR LOAD
BEARING WALL
3. AS PARTITION WALL
4. AS ROOF SLABS/HORIZONTAL FLOOR
5. AS COMPOUND WALL/SECURITY WALL
6. AS PITCHED ROOFING
7. AS CLADDING IN INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURES

WEIGHT LIGHT WEIGHT 40 KG/ SQM

AXIAL LOAD CAPACITY 160 KN/M 16 TONS/ M
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH 73.2 KG/CM2
UNIT SHEAR STRENGTH 50.90 KN/M
FLEXURAL STRENGTH 21.25 KG/CM2
TENSILE STRENGTH 35 KN/ M
DUCTILITY 4
FIRE RESISTANCE 4 HR RATING WITHSTOOD 700 10000C
THERMAL RESISTANCE R 0.36 K/W
“U “VALUE 2.85W/M2K
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY 0.617
ELASTIC MODULUS 3000 6000MPA
SOUND TRANSMISSION STC 40
WATER ABSORPTION < 5%

GFRG ISS A GEP GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MATERIAL HAS NO

ODOUR AND ITS RADIOACTIVE NUCLIDE LIMIT IS ACCORD WITH A STYLE
DECORATION MATERIAL STANDARD OF GB6566 2001, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR
RECYCLING.

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