INTRODUCTION & HISTORY: THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARBON FIBRE COMPOSITES AS A VIABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL REALLY BEGAN TO TAKE OFF IN THE 1980’S. PRIOR TO THIS TIME, CONCRETE STRUCTURES THAT HAD DEVELOPED A STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS, OR WERE REQUIRED TO BE UPGRADED TO TAKE (FOR EXAMPLE) HEAVIER GRADES OF TRAFFIC, WERE EITHER DEMOLISHED AND REBUILT OR STRENGTHENED WITH STEEL PLATES THAT WERE HELD IN PLACE BY A COMBINATION OF ADHESIVE COMPOUND AND MECHANICAL FIXINGS.
THE PROBLEMS INHERENT IN THIS SITUATION WERE; THAT DEMOLITION AND REBUILD WAS BOTH EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING, WHILE THE COST OF TRANSPORTING AND INSTALLING STEEL PLATES WAS ITSELF BECOMING PROHIBITIVE. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT STEEL, EVEN WHEN PROTECTED BY PAINT, IS LIABLE TO CORROSION AND IN AGGRESSIVE ENVIRONMENTS CAN BE COMPROMISED IN A COMPARATIVELY SHORT TIME.
THE SOLUTION THEREFORE WAS TO FIND A PRODUCT THAT MET THE SAME STRENGTHENING SPECIFICATIONS AS STEEL BUT WITHOUT THE PROBLEMS INHERENT. ALTERNATIVE METALS AND ALLOYS WERE EXAMINED, BUT WERE FOUND TO BE EITHER TOO EXPENSIVE OR POSSESSING THE SAME DISADVANTAGES AS THE ORIGINAL STEEL.