Glazing · 3–10 mm
Fibre-Reinforced — indicative fig. C·14
Fire Combustible CombustibleEmbodied carbon 1.20kgCO₂e/kg Low–mediumCompressive 200-400 MPa (typical commercial panels)MPa StructuralDesign life 25yr
Glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) flat panels with manufacturer-reported tensile strength >50 MPa, bending strength 80-90 MPa and modulus 6-7 GPa; properties vary by resin/fibre content.
01 Physical
Density Not specified (varies by glass/resin content)kg/m³
Specific gravity 1.6-2.0
Porosity 0.5-2.0%%
Water absorption 0.15-0.3% (24-hour immersion)%
Hardness 40-60 Barcol (typical 50-55)
UV resistance Excellent with UV-stabilised gel coat (<5% degradation over 10 years)
Chemical resistance Excellent (pH 2-12 tolerance)
pH tolerance 2-12
Surface roughness Ra 0.5-2.0 μm (smooth gel coat), Ra 10-50 μm (textured)µm
02 Mechanical
Tensile strength >= 50 MPa (Lariver GRP flat panels)MPa
Compressive strength 200-400 MPa (typical commercial panels)MPa
Flexural strength 80-90 MPa (bending strength)MPa
Shear strength 50-70 MPa (in-plane), 25-35 MPa (interlaminar)MPa
Poisson's ratio 0.25-0.35 (major), 0.02-0.08 (minor)
Impact resistance 3mm: 400-600 J/m, 6mm: 850-1,200 J/m, 10mm: 1,300-2,000 J/m (Izod)
Creep resistance Excellent (<0.1% strain at 25% ultimate stress over 50 years)
03 Thermal
Thermal conductivity 0.2-0.4 W/m·KW/m·K
Specific heat 2,300 J/kg·KJ/kg·K
Thermal expansion 10-36 × 10⁻⁶/°C (pultrusion: 10, press-moulded: 36)×10⁻⁶/°C
04 Compliance & Fire First question
Combustibility class Combustible (fails AS 1530.1), Group 4 (AS/NZS 3837)
Fire resistance level Non-rated (standard), up to 60 minutes (fire-retardant grades)
Ignition temp 400-500°C°C
Flame spread index 200-500 (standard), 25-200 (fire-retardant)
Smoke dev. index 300-800 (standard), 50-450 (fire-retardant)
Heat release rate >500 kW/m² (standard), <300 kW/m² (fire-retardant)
05 Sustainability & Health
Embodied carbon Glass fibre: 1.2-1.7 kgCO2e/kg, Resin: 2.0-3.5 kgCO2e/kg
Carbon footprint 2.5-4.5 kgCO2e/kg (complete panels)
Embodied energy 45-85 MJ/kg (fibre: 28-54, resin: 85-120)MJ/kg
Water footprint 25-40 L/kgL/kg
Recyclability 44% (production waste), 5-15% (post-consumer)%
Recycled content 0-15% (potential for glass filler)%
Renewable content 0-5% (bio-based resins emerging)%
Circular score 35/100 (improving with recycling technology)
VOC emissions Manufacturing: 30-150 g/L, Cured: <10 g/L
Toxicity rating Low (cured product), Moderate (uncured resin)
LEED contribution 2-4 points (Materials & Resources, Indoor Environment)
06 Durability · Cost · Logistics
Expected lifespan 25-50 years (properly maintained)
Maintenance interval Inspection: Annual, Cleaning: Biannual
Warranty period 3-10 years (manufacturer dependent)
Material cost (range) AUD $25-75/m² (varies by grade and thickness)
Material cost (per unit) 3mm: $25-35, 6mm: $35-55, 10mm: $55-75 per m²
Lead time Standard: 2-4 weeks, Custom: 8-16 weeks
Lifecycle cost AUD $40-120/m² over 25 years
Annual maintenance 0.5-1% of initial cost
Market availability Good (domestic production + imports)
07 Assessment
Advantages
- Excellent corrosion resistance (pH 2-12)
- High strength-to-weight ratio
- 25-50 year service life
- Low maintenance requirements (0.5-1% annual cost)
- Non-conductive electrical properties
- UV stable with proper gel coat
- Versatile manufacturing methods
- Design flexibility for complex shapes
- Impact resistant
- Chemical resistant
- Non-magnetic properties
- Lightweight (35-50% of steel weight)
Constraints
- Higher embodied carbon than traditional materials (2.5-4.5 kgCO2e/kg)
- Limited fire resistance without additives
- Anisotropic properties requiring design consideration
- Specialised installation skills required
- Higher initial cost than some alternatives
- Limited recycling infrastructure (5-15% post-consumer)
- Temperature sensitivity during installation (7.5-35°C)
- Potential for gel coat degradation
- VOC emissions during manufacturing
- Brittleness under point loads
- Poor acoustic performance without enhancement (STC 25-35)
08 Applications
A1 Architectural cladding and facades
A2 Industrial wall and roof panels
A3 Chemical plant infrastructure
A4 Food processing facilities (FDA-approved grades)
A5 Marine and coastal structures
A6 Transport infrastructure (walkways, platforms)
A7 Mining sector applications (non-sparking)
A8 Agricultural buildings
A9 Water storage tanks
A10 Sound barriers
A11 Translucent roofing (40-74% light transmission)
A12 Cooling tower components
09 Sources & Standards
Sources pending — citations for this material are not yet recorded. Verify all figures against manufacturer data and current standards before specifying.