GFRC - Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete

History

Though concrete has been used throughout the ages, Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) is still a relatively new invention, which Stromberg Architectural continues to expand upon and perfect.

The Romans first created a concrete which resembles the concrete we use today, creating buildings that still stand today. As structures grew, it became necessary to reinforce the concrete used in production, often by placing support beams beneath the concrete exterior.

In the 1940s developments in concrete reinforcement began to change. The Soviets developed a form of glass fiber reinforced concrete, but the glass began to degrade due to the inherently high alkaline environment within the concrete. In the 1960s an alkaline resistant glass fiber was created, resulting in the widespread use of GFRC in America throughout the 70s. The use of GFRC became popularized as a light-weight material capable of being molded into an infinite variety of shapes for both interior and exterior applications.

Today, Stromberg Architectural continues to expand on the use of GFRC and further perfect it. Stromberg Architectural now offers the standard GFRC and our new high performance GFRC to bring you a lighter, stronger building material in a variety of colors and textures.

Fabrication

By working closely with the client, Stromberg Architectural will design a mold, unique to your project, in which a carefully designed mix of cement, fine aggregate, crushed stone, and polymer additives is sprayed, along with alkali resistant glass fibers. GFRC with an acid-wash texture is virtually indistinguishable from architectural precast it is removed from the mold. The difference is in the weight: precast weighs 45 lbs. per square foot for a 4" thick panel, while Stromberg GFRC weighs only 5 or 6 lbs.

Applications

Stromberg Architectural's GFRC can be used anywhere you might normally consider using concrete, but at a fraction of the weight:

Domes
Balustrade
Columns and trim
Restorative projects
Statues
Fountains
Planters
Cladding
Underwater applications (as in the Atlantis Resort's "The Dig")

Why GFRC?

Highly moisture resistant: Stromberg GFRC will not rot, disintegrate or swell when exposed to water, or even when completely submerged in water.
The lightweight allows for reduced erection and transport costs due to ease and speed of handling.
Reduced loadings on buildings leading to substantial reductions in structural and foundation costs, especially for building renovation or restoration.
High Compressive strength
Ability to reproduce fine surface details.
Low maintenance requirements.
Low coefficients of thermal expansion.
Vapor permeability: GFRC allows any minor water intrusions through joints or openings to slowly diffuse outward through the exterior surface, preventing cracks.
High Fire Resistance.
Environmentally Friendly.
View testing information

The lightness of GFRC relative to other cladding materials is a factor well worth taking into account in the initial design calculations. This aspect is brought into even sharper focus when considering site craneage, particularly on multi-story building projects in congested city centers. GFRC panels can cover three to four times the area of precast concrete panels of the same weight, or permit lower capacity cranes the necessary outreach to handle units of economical size.

With rising concerns about the environment and a building's ability to conform to the environment surrounding it, Stromberg's GFRC offers a cost efficient solution. Our GFRC can be custom molded to match any texture, shape, or design, allowing your structure to better match its environment.

High Performance GFRC

The latest product available in Stromberg Architectural's line of fiber-reinforced products is our high performance GFRC. Our high performance GFRC increases the strength of the product threefold and eliminate the need for steel framework. The end result is an innovative product approximately five times as stiff as our traditional GFRC at a lighter weight.

For your next building project, try our high performance GFRC.