Even if it is beyond one’s imagination that a building construction could be possible without using a single piece of steel, it is very much true. A newly introduced composite material made from polymer is here to challenge the age-old dominance of steel in the construction sector. Twice as strong and thrice as durable as steel, this wonder material called fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) is already finding its way into bungalows, roads, bridges, and even industrial floors. The material is also being used in place of steel for building a modern cowshed of 200X40 feet area coming up at Gorakshan Sabha in Dhantoli. An official of the company overseeing the construction at Gorakshan Sabha said it will put FRP bars in place of steel bars even in the slab. Renowned Structural Engineer Dilip Mase told ‘The Hitavada’ on Monday that FRP has many advantages over steel and thus it is gaining popularity. “It is corrosion resistant and thus the life of these FRP bars is more than that of steel bars. Further, it is about one fourth lighter than steel due to which it reduces the overall weight of the structure.

 

Another important factor which gives it an edge over steel is its cost. One may save up to 25-30 per cent of the estimated cost on steel bars in any project,” he said. Ritik Sanghani, manufacturer of the product, said that fiber reinforced polymers are widely used in many advanced countries while constructing highways, bridges, swimming pools, septic tanks and warehouses. “It is very effective in places where the chances of water leakage are high. In marine applications, engineers prefer FRP to steel as it withstands the constant exposure to water and chemicals, ensuring the structural integrity of the projects. Because of its non-corrosive property, FRP remains intact for more than 100 years,” Sanghani said. Unlike steel bars, fiber reinforced polymers come in a continuous coil which brings down the quantity of wastage during installing it on the site.

 

Sanghani is Director of Dura Composites Pvt Ltd, a company manufacturing the innovative product using Russian technology. As of now, there are only three companies in the country manufacturing the material. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has recently said the NHAI is also using FRP in construction of roads. Chartered Engineer Ketan Mase, who is doing research on the product, said use of FRP is gradually picking up pace in India. “FRP is a revolutionary product which is going to change the face of the construction industry,” he added.