Panel · 1.5–3 mm
Fibre-Reinforced — indicative fig. C·16
Fire Combustible CombustibleEmbodied carbon 4.20kgCO₂e/kg Medium–highCompressive 375MPa StructuralDesign life Data pending
BFRP panels use basalt fibres with reported density ~2.64-2.75 g/cm?, tensile strength ~2.8-5.0 GPa and modulus ~89-110 GPa (fibre properties); composite performance varies with resin and fibre fraction.
01 Physical
Density 2.64-2.75 g/cm? (basalt fibre density; composite density depends on resin/fibre fraction)kg/m³
Specific gravity 2.64-2.75 (basalt fibre)
Porosity 1%
Water absorption 0.5% by weight
Hardness 82.5Shore D
UV resistance 97%
Chemical resistance Excellent
pH tolerance 7pH range
Surface roughness 3.2μm Ra
02 Mechanical
Tensile strength 2,800-5,000 MPa (basalt fibre tensile strength; composite values lower)MPa
Compressive strength 375MPa
Flexural strength 325MPa
Shear strength 50MPa
Poisson's ratio 0.275
Impact resistance 30kJ/m²
Creep resistance [object Object]
03 Thermal
Thermal conductivity 0.425W/m·K
Specific heat 900J/kg·K
Thermal expansion 9.510⁻⁶/°C
04 Compliance & Fire First question
Combustibility class Combustible
Fire resistance level 90minutes
Ignition temp 250°C
Flame spread index 45FSI
Smoke dev. index 200SDI
Heat release rate 125kW/m²
05 Sustainability & Health
Embodied carbon 4.2kg CO₂-eq/kg
Carbon footprint 5.45kg CO₂-eq/kg
Embodied energy 97.5MJ/kg
Water footprint 26L/kg
Recyclability 95%
Recycled content 5%
Renewable content 0%
Circular score 6.5/10
VOC emissions 85μg/m³
Toxicity rating Low
LEED contribution 2points
06 Durability · Cost · Logistics
Material cost (range) [object Object] – [object Object]
Material cost (per unit) 50AUD/m²
Lifecycle cost 120AUD/m²
Annual maintenance 0.5AUD/m²/year
Market availability Moderate
07 Assessment
Advantages
- Superior tensile strength (280-380 MPa) exceeding glass fibre by 15-25%
- Exceptional corrosion resistance in marine environments (25-30 year service life)
- Chemical resistance across pH 1-13 range
- Natural UV resistance (95-99% blocking) without additives
- 75% weight reduction compared to steel
- Service temperature range -40°C to +200°C
- Non-conductive properties for electrical safety
- Low water absorption (0.2-0.8% by weight)
- 60-80% maintenance cost reduction versus steel
- Recyclable through thermal processing (95% fibre recovery)
- Naturally termite resistant
- Non-toxic mineral composition
- 50% embodied carbon reduction versus steel
- Fatigue resistance exceeding 2 million cycles
- Impact resistance 15-45 kJ/m²
- No rust or oxidation issues
Constraints
- Limited fire resistance due to polymer matrix (ignition 200-300°C)
- Higher initial cost than glass fibre (15-25% premium)
- Anisotropic properties require careful design
- Limited Australian standards compliance documentation
- No current CodeMark certification available
- 4-8 week lead times for standard orders
- Requires skilled installation crews
- UV degradation of polymer matrix without protection
- Brittle failure mode without yield warning
- Limited recycling infrastructure currently available
- Thermal expansion mismatch (1.92 vs 17.1 × 10⁻⁶/°C)
- Moisture sensitivity during installation (max 85% RH)
- Minimum order quantities (100-500m²)
- Limited local case study data
- Combustible classification under AS 1530.1
08 Applications
A1 Interior wall panels and partitions (1.5mm)
A2 Decorative architectural cladding
A3 Commercial kitchen wall linings
A4 Cleanroom panel systems
A5 Exterior building cladding (2.0mm)
A6 Swimming pool surrounds and wet areas
A7 Transport industry panels (truck bodies, trailers)
A8 Marine vessel interior/exterior panels
A9 Structural load-bearing panels (3.0mm)
A10 Chemical plant protective barriers
A11 Mining facility impact panels
A12 Bridge deck overlays
A13 Concrete reinforcement replacement
A14 Suspended ceiling systems
A15 Acoustic panel substrates
A16 Blast mitigation panels
A17 Electromagnetic shielding applications
09 Sources & Standards
References
- Alaimo et al. — The durability of basalt fibres reinforced polymer (BFRP) panels for cladding (Materials and Structures, 2016) · research
- Sun et al. — A Review on Research Advances and Applications of Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Polymer in the Construction Industry (Buildings, 2025) · research
- Dhand et al. — A short review on basalt fiber reinforced polymer composites (Composites Part B: Engineering, 2015) · research
- Lu et al. — Long-Term Durability of BFRP Sheets and the Epoxy Resin Matrix under a Wet–Dry Cyclic Condition in a Chloride-Containing Environment (Polymers, 2017) · research
- Wei et al. — Effect of Seawater Environment on the Structure and Performance of Basalt Continuous Fiber (Polymers / PMC, 2021) · research
- AS 1530.1-1994 (R2016) — Methods for fire tests on building materials: Combustibility test for materials · standard
- AS 5113:2016 (Amdt 1:2018) — Classification of external walls of buildings based on reaction to fire performance · standard
- ABCB Advisory Note — Fire performance of external walls and cladding (2022) · government
- ISO 527-4:2023 — Plastics — Determination of tensile properties — Part 4: Test conditions for isotropic and orthotropic fibre-reinforced plastic composites · standard
- EN 13706 (Parts 1–3) — Reinforced plastics composites: Specifications for pultruded profiles · standard
- Basalt Fiber Tech Pty Ltd (Melbourne, VIC) — Basfiber® rovings and engineered fabrics · manufacturer
- Kamenny Vek — Basfiber® continuous basalt fibre technical data · manufacturer