Theses and Dissertations Collection

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) is a lightweight building material which provides a low weight-to-strength ratio. Applications in civil engineering include providing a lightweight alternative to steel reinforcement in concrete, as well as to stiffen wood, etc. However, there has been no study to determine methods to alter FRP so that it satisfies the International Building Code's (IBC) standards for fire-resistance. Therefore, this thesis' goal is to determine a method of altering the resin in FRP to achieve the fire resistance standards of the IBC. In order to do this, different additives were tested for flame-spread, time to ignition and time to self-extinguish, and then the optimal additive was selected and tested for its effects on the mechanical properties of the composite. From this, it was found that adding 25% Alumina-Tri-Hydrate by weight satisfies the fire-resistive standards while only slightly reducing the mechanical properties of the composite.