Durability of isophthalic polyester composites used in civil engineering applications

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites are increasingly used in civil infrastructure applications, primarily because of their high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. Further deployment of FRP in the construction market will be accelerated-by using low-cost, durable matrix materials. In this paper, published research on the durability of a low-cost matrix, isophthalic polyester (IPE), is reviewed and the results are compared to the durability of the more expensive vinyl ester (VE). The objective is to evaluate the suitability of IPE in civil engineering applications, particularly in conjunction with concrete and high alkaline environments. The analysis indicates that, although vinyl esters are generally more durable than isophthalic polyesters, the performance difference does not always appear to be very significant. More importantly, the literature review revealed that the data on the durability of IPE in concrete and alkaline solutions is of limited usefulness. Since this is the kind of information needed to evaluate IPE's effectiveness in construction applications, further research in these areas is recommended.