The construction industry is traditionally associated with heavy bulk materials and yet over 30 of all plastics produced each year are used in the civil engineering and building industries. Plastics offer many advantages over conventional materials, and can be combined with fibres to form composites which have enhanced properties, enabling them to be used as structural members and units.

We are in an exciting new era for composites and plastics in construction, and there are enormous opportunities for those with imagination and vision. This era is characterised by totally new approaches to the use of composites and plastics in homes, buildings, roads, bridges and other structures. We are no longer limited to the approaches of the past, which were dictated by the properties of conventional construction materials. We can now exploit the advantages that composites have to offer: strength, lightweight, corrosion resistance, design flexibility, ease of production and more.

The aim of this conference was to raise awareness between the plastics and construction industries of the advantages that can be achieved by using plastics and composites. Plastics and composites must be viewed as not just alternate materials, but also as materials that allow dramatic new approaches.

List of Papers

How Can Composites and Plastics Help to Deliver the Egan Challenge
P. Godfrey, Director of Business Solutions, Sir William Halcrow and Partners

Materials in Use and Developments in Markets
P. Dufton and M. Watson, Rapra Technology, UK and Construction Best Practice Programme

Glass Reinforced Plastic for Construction
L. S. Norwood, Scott Bader Company Ltd, UK

Engineering Challenges in the Use of Advanced Composites in Made-to-Order Products
¹A. Shenoi and ²S. J. Moy, ¹University of Southampton, UK and ²Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Southampton, UK

The Use of Pultruded Composites in the Civil Engineering and Construction Industry
C. Allbones, Fibreforce, UK

Bend It, Shape It Creating an Arched Structure from a Linear Pultruded Section
N. K. Burford & F. W. Smith, University of Dundee, UK

European Standardisation - Composite Materials and Pultruded Sections
G. D. Sims, National Physical Laboratory, UK

Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composite Structural Pultrusions and Their End Connections
G. J. Turvey, Engineering Department, Lancaster University, UK

Adhesive Bonded Joints Involving Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites
A. Hutchinson, Joining Technology Research Centre, Oxford Brookes University, UK

A Investigation into the Load Characteristics of a Unique Advanced Polymer Composite/Concrete Beam
L. C. Holloway, L. Canning and A. M. Thorne, University of Surrey, UK

The Application of Non-Ferrous Reinforcement in Civil Engineering
P. A. Sheard, ¹J. L. Clarke and ²K. Pilakoutas, Eurocrete Limited ¹The Concrete Society and ²The University of Sheffield

Controlled Supply and Applications of FRP Composite Reinforcement for External Strengthening
N. Farmer & M. Shaw, Tony Gee and Partners and Sika Limited
Paper unavailable at time of print

Stressed and Unstressed Advanced Composites Plates for the Repair and Strengthening of Structures
J. Darby, M. Taylor, S. Luke and A. Skwarski, Mouchel Consulting, UK

Column Wrapping for Strength
M. Haynes, BALVAC
Paper unavailable at time of print

Structural Upgrade and life Extension of Struts and Beams Using Carbon Fibre Reinforced Composites
S. S. J. Moy¹, F. Barnes², J. Moriarty³, A. F. Dier⁴, A. Kenchington⁵, B. Iverson⁶, ¹Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southampton, UK; ²Composites Group, DML, UK; ³London Underground Limited, UK ⁴MSL Engineering Limited, UK; ⁵Structural Statics Limited, UK; ⁶Structural Materials Centre, UK

Use of High Modulus Carbon Fibres for Reinforcement of Cast Iron Compression Struts within London Underground - Project Details
P. S. Hill, S. Smith and F. J. Barnes, DML Composites, UK

FRP Materials for Reinforcing and Strengthening Concrete Structure
J. L. Clarke, The Concrete Society, UK

Alternative Structural Strengthening with Advanced Composites
J. Keble, Weber & Broutin United Kingdom Limited, UK

The Structural Use of Moulded Composites - Applications and Opportunities
D. Kendall, CETEC Consultancy Limited, UK

Reinforced Plastics Cladding Panels
S. M. Halliwell, BRE, UK

SF1 and the Elgin Estate
A. Walker, Damond Lock Grabowski and Partners, UK

Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites for Blast Resistant Cladding
A. Alderson, Research Manager (Technology), CIRIA, UK

Enhancing the Built Environment without Compromising Safety or the Natural Environment
R. Mottram, EVC (UK) Limited, UK

Recycling of Plastics and Polymer Compos