Use of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) in construction: a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials

Abstract

The construction industry is responsible for about 40% of total emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (source Green Building Council 2009). All the processes and products related to the building construction cause the emission in atmosfere of huge quantities of CO2; higher than those produced by other impactful sectors as the industrial and transport fields (Fig. 1). The reasons for this alarming data are related to the complexity of the life-cycle of building products and to the huge quantity of energy that is associated to the different stages of a building's life: from the production of construction materials, through transport and assemblage on the construction site, use and maintenance, to disassemblage and eventual recycling of building components at the end of the building's life-cycle. A responsible management of the construction process and a proper selection of building materials are therefore essential to conceive a building that has the least possible environmental impact. High physical and mechanical performance are essential to optimize, and thus reduce, the amount of materials and resources used. The fiber-reinforced composites (FRP) seem to guarantee a significant reduction in terms of emissions during the entire building life-cycle, especially due to the specific characteristics of the material which allows the construction of lightweight buildings, easily assembled and with a remarkable durability.