Performance
Want to know how Strongwell FRP performs against traditional materials? Do you wonder how long FRP lasts and what impact temperature has on it? Learn more below.
Q:
A:
Please see EXTREN® vs. Steel comparison flyer or the DURADEK® vs. Steel comparison flyer.
Q:
How does FRP compare to aluminum in strength?
A:
Please see EXTREN® vs. Aluminum comparison flyer or the DURADEK® vs. Aluminum comparison flyer.
Q:
How does FRP compare to wood in strength?
A:
Please see EXTREN® vs. Structural Timber comparison flyer.
Q:
Strongwell FRP is a "thermoset". What does this mean?
A:
A thermoset resin is one which has no defined melting point, therefore it cannot be heated and formed again. In other words, once thermoset resins have been processed and the chemical cross-linking occurs, they take the shape of the die and harden upon cooling, never to be formed into a different shape thereafter. All of Strongwell’s FRP products are produced with thermoset resins.
A thermoplastic resin, on the other hand, has a defined melting point after initial cooling, which means the product can be heated and reshaped. This new shape can be retained when re-cooled. However, thermoplastics can deform (creep) under loads, even at moderate temperature.
Q:
How does FRP handle hot and cold temperatures?
A:
Temperatures must be taken into consideration during the structural design process. Refer to the Strongwell Design Manual for a chart showing changes in mechanical properties as the temperatures reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit and higher. Cold temperatures are generally of little concern unless below -60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Q:
What is the service life of Strongwell’s materials?
A:
The service life of any particular product depends on the application in which it is installed. Several Strongwell customers have reported a service life in excess of 30-40 years or more, and Strongwell has published case studies on several long-term applications, such as the DURADEK® walkway grating installed on the Ellen Offshore Platform in 1979 and the custom-fabricated EXTREN® Fiberglass Turrets atop the SunTrust Bank Building in Orlando, Florida, in 1988.