07.06.

2016

GRCManufacturingTheInternationalGlassfibreReinforcedConcreteAssociation(GRCA)forallyourGRC/GFRCinformation

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AboutGRC

AboutGRCA
40YearsoftheGRCA
TheInternationalGlassfibre
ReinforcedConcreteAssociation
(GRCA)wasformedover40years
ago,in1975...

ReadmoreabouttheGRCA

GRCAMembership
GRCAAMSMembers
GRCAApprovedManufacturer
Scheme(AMS)membershipis
availabletoallGRCmanufacturing
Memberswhohavebeenauditedby
anindependentcertifyingbody,
appointedbytheGRCA.

SeelistofGRCAAMSMembers

GRCAssociationMembers
GRCAMembers'Details
FulldetailsofalltheGRCA
Members,includingtheGRC
manufacturingmembersofthe
GRCAApprovedManufacturer
SchemeAMS)areavailablehere...

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Technical

GRCAMembers

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Congress

ManufacturingGRC/GFRC
GLASSFIBREREINFORCEDCONCRETE(GRC)/
GLASSFIBERREINFORCEDCONCRETE(GFRC)
GlassfibreReinforcedConcrete(GRC),alsoknownasGlass
FiberReinforcedConcrete(GFRC)isgenerallymanufactured
byeitherthe"sprayed"processorthe"premix"process.
PremixGRCcaneitherbevibrationcompacted,or
manufacturedusingaselfcompactingGRCmix.Themethod
chosenisnormallydictatedbyfactorssuchasstrength
requirements,sizeofmould,architectsspecificationetc.
Asageneralrule,largeritems,suchasbuildingcladding
panels,arenormally"sprayed"whereassmallitemsare
manufacturedusinga"premix"GRCmethod.
SprayedGRCisgenerallystrongerthanpremixvibrationcastGRC.Thereasonsforthisarefirstlythatwith
sprayedGRCitispossibletoachieveafibrecontentof5%6%whereaspremixGRCislimitedtoaround
3%3.5%.Secondly,sprayedGRChasalowerwatercontentthanpremixGRC.
TypicalmixdesignsforsprayedandpremixGRCmaterialsareasfollows:

seeGRCAMembershipdetails

SprayedGRC
Thewaterandadmixture(andpolymerifused)areplacedina"highshearmixer"andthesand/cement
areslowlyaddeduntilasmoothcreamyslurryisachieved.Theconsistencyoftheslurrycanbe
checkedusingasimpleslumptestkit.Mixingtimeisabout12minutes.
Whenreadythemixistransferredtoa"pump/sprayunit".Thepumpconveystheslurryataregulated
rateofflowtothespraygun.Atthespraygunfibre,intheformofaroving,ischoppedtoalengthof
approximately32mmandaddedtotheslurry.Thetwomaterialsareprojectedontothemouldsurface
usinganairsupplyfromacompressor.
TheGRCmaterialissprayedandbuiltupinthinlayersuntiltherequiredthicknessisachieved
normally1015mm.Simplehandrollersareusedtocompactthematerialbetweenlayers.
Theproductisleftinthemouldandcoveredwithpolythenetopreventmoisturelossuntilthenextday.
Theproductisthendemoulded.
Afterdemouldingtheunitsarecoveredwithpolytheneandallowedtocureforapproximately7days.
Alternatively,ifapolymercuringcompoundisusedinthemixtheunitscanbeexposedtothe
atmosphereimmediatelyalthoughitisadvisabletokeepthemprotectedfromdirectsunlightorsevere
externalconditionsforadayortwo.ReferenceshouldbemadetothePolymerSupplier'sinstructions.

PremixGRC
Thesandandcementaremixeddryandthenthewater/admixtureandpolymer(ifused)areadded.

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GRCManufacturingTheInternationalGlassfibreReinforcedConcreteAssociation(GRCA)forallyourGRC/GFRCinformation
Generallyatwospeedslurry/fibreblendermixerisused.Withthistypeofmixer,thefastspeedis
designedtocreateasmoothcreamyslurry.Thistakesabout12minutes.Themixeristhenswitched
toslowspeedandfibreintheformofchoppedstrand(lengthapproximately13mm)isaddedslowly.
Thefibreisblendedintothemixforapproximately1minute.
Oncethemixisready,itispouredintomouldswhicharevibratedusingavibratingtable.
Theproductisleftinthemouldandcoveredwithpolythenetopreventmoisturelossuntilthenextday.
Theproductisthendemoulded.
Afterdemouldingtheproductsarecuredunderpolythenesheetstomaintainmoistconditionsfor
approximately7days.Alternativelyapolymercuringcompoundcanbeusedasdescribedforthe
sprayedprocess.
FormoreinformationaboutmanufacturingGRCpleaseseeourSpecificationofGRC

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