Over the last 30 years high performance advanced FRP composites, originally introduced in aerospace, have become widespread in the marine and alternative energy industries, and are now becoming increasingly used in civil and architectural projects.
The use of composite materials in new fields still represents a challenge due to the higher percentage of defects in final manufactured composite parts. This requires a closer look of the mechanical properties of the composite materials considered to ensure safety requirements and overall structural integrity is achieved. A variety of advanced FRP materials and processes have been used at PCT to realize large-scale structures including the clock and crescent of the Makkah Royal Clock Tower, the Mataf Ceiling project in Makkah, and recently the hybrid composite wings for the UAE Pavilion for the EXPO 2020 in Dubai and the CFRP roof for the ENOC Petrol Service Station of the Future.
As a result, PCT(1) is making substantial investments in enhancing its mechanical testing program, as well as prioritizing its commitment to sustainability and material recycling.
The increased use of high-performance fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in aerospace, marine, alternative energy, civil, and architectural projects has presented challenges. Defects in composite parts require thorough investigation to ensure compliance with safety requirements and overall structural integrity.
This paper focuses on the advancements of FRP composites and their specific applications in structural engineering, with a particular emphasis on Premier Composite Technologies. The objective is to address challenges related to defects, while prioritizing safety in the design and analysis process. It discusses design codes, load combinations, and dynamic behavior considerations. Safety factors and material partial factors derived from guidelines like EUROCOMP [1] are examined, considering different processing methods for different parts of the structure. Long-term and short-term material partial factors verify the structure's capacity under various load combinations. The paper explains the derivation of characteristic material properties for calculating the mechanical behavior of laminates.
Notable projects, including the Makkah Royal Clock Tower, Mataf Ceiling project, ENOC(2) Petrol Service Station of the Future, and UAE Pavilion at EXPO 2020, showcase the applications of FRP composites in structural engineering. Extensive mechanical testing programs have created material database, Promoted the use of sustainable materials and supported material in composite applications.
