Specialized Maintenance
Al Otbi Cont. & Gen. Maint. Est. after consolidating itself as a General Maintenance company, forayed into specialised maintenance.
Fibre Reinforced Polymers
Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) is an exceptionally strong and versatile material, with special characteristics that make it the solution of choice in growing range of application, from underground pipe repair to heritage building preservation. FRPs are constructed of fibres such as glass and carbon embedded with various resin matrix that protects them and distributes their load evenly. Its Anisotropic properties differ when it is measured along different axis, which in turn allows for the required strength in each directions. This makes FRPs highly effective solution for the sesmic conditions.
Another major property of FRPs are their flexibility prior to curing, this makes it easy to apply on varied surfaces and shapes. They are light enough to be handled with lifting equipments making it easy to handle on complex sites. Its also thin to facilitate applications in the low access spaces without interrupting operations adding as little as 1/8” thickness to the surfaces. Once cured these material (composites) become two to three times as strong as steel as a result this minimal change to the mass of the structure eliminates the need to make any major change to the foundation or other expensive techniques of construction of strengthening and repair thus reducing the overall cost of maintenance.
Applications of FRP in Repair and Strengthening of Structures :
- Parapets
- Pipes
- Reinforced concrete beams
- Reinforced concrete columns
- Slabs
- Steel girders & Bridges
- Tanks
- Tilt-up walls
- Unreinforced masonry (URM) walls
- Utility tunnels
- Wooden beams
Advantages of FRPs
- Non intrusive
- Quick and easy to apply in complex places
- Versatile and adaptable to any structural shape
- Corrosion-ressistant
- Low wight, with high tensile strength and excellent fatigue behaviour
- Thermally compatible to most of the construction materials
- Two to three times stronger than steel
- Non toxic and environment friendly
- Odourless
- Leak proof
Uses
- Increse shear strength
- Increase flexural strength for poth positive and negative movements
- Increase stiffness at service loads
- Reduce crack width for enhanced durability and corrosion resistance
- Provide confinement
- Prevent leaks
- Enhance ductility