introduction to carbon fibres, manufacturing process and its applications as a construction material in buildings, bridges and other products.

1. AR-702
BUILDING, CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS
CARBON FIBRES
SUBMITTED BY:
BARN1AR15034

2. INTRODUCTION
• Fibres about 5–10 micrometres.
• Composed mostly of carbon atoms.
• To produce a carbon fiber, the carbon atoms are
bonded together in crystals that are more or less
aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber
giving the fiber high strength-to-volume ratio.
• Several carbon fibers are bundled together to
form a tow, which may be used by itself
or woven into a fabric.
• Carbon fibre when impregnated with a plastic
resin and baked it forms carbon-fiber-reinforced
polymer (is rigid and brittle).
• Carbon fibers are also composited with other
materials, such as graphite forms reinforced
carbon-carbon composites(has very high heat
tolerance).
• In 1860, Joseph Swan produced carbon fibers for
the first time, for use in light bulbs.
• It is a good replacement of steel filaments in
fiber-concrete
CARBON FIBRE 2
Fabric made of woven carbon
filaments
Carbon Fiber Laminates
PROPERTIES
• High stiffness,
• High tensile strength,
• Low weight,
• High chemical resistance,
• High temperature tolerance
• Low thermal expansion
• Good fatigue resistance
• Resistant-magnetic material
• Thin, strong and flexible
• Possess strength up to five times that of steel
and being one-third it weight.

3. SYNTHESIS
CARBON FIBRE 3
• Each carbon filament is produced from a polymer such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN), rayon, or petroleum
pitch, known as a precursor.

4. CARBON FIBRE 4

5. APPLICATIONS
• Aeronautics and aerospace industries
• Oil and gas industry
• Unmanned aerial vehicles
• Formula 1 cars
• Satellites
• Musical instruments
• Furniture
• Art
• Structural elements of buildings
• Bridges
• Wind turbine blades
• Can be used as replacement for steel, prestressing
materials and strengthening cast-iron beams.
CARBON FIBRE 5
Tail of an RC
helicopter, made
of carbon fiber
reinforced polymer
Motorcycle racing gloves with
carbon fiber protectors for
ligaments in fingers
A DIY carbon fiber heated jacket
Nikon uses
carbon fibre
reinforced
thermoplastic

6. CARBON FIBRE 6
CARBON FIBRE AS A BUILDING MATERIAL
• It’s lighter than steel, five times stronger, and
twice as stiff.
• The main fields for use carbon fibers today are
- strengthening of the structures,
- use of carbon fiber composites in precast
concrete,
- use in fiber-cement, and
- use carbon fiber composite plastic profiles.
Carbon fiber in precast concrete –
• A carbon fiber grid is used in the panel faces to
replace steel mesh reinforcement, and as a
mechanical link to the outer and inner sections of
the concrete wall.
• Non-corrosive carbon fiber grid reinforcement in
the wall panel face allows less use of concrete,
which reduces weight and raw material usage.
• The wall panels with carbon fiber grid
reinforcement can weigh about 40% less than
conventional precast panels.
• Main reasons to use carbon fiber in precast
concrete:
- Non-corrosiveness
- Weight
- Thermal efficiency
Wall panel with carbon fiber
mesh reinforcement and carbon
fiber shear gird between outer
and inner faces of the panel
Double T slab with carbon fiber
mesh
Carbon Fiber Grid
Reinforced Precast
Concrete

7. CARBON FIBRE 7
Carbon fiber in bridge construction –
• The main reason for application of carbon fiber
reinforced plastic was to provide bridge weigh
reduction and economy of lifting equipment.
• Advantages of fiber reinforced composites in
bridges:
- Easier, faster and more economic installation -
smaller cranes required
- Ability to bring larger sections to site reducing
assembly time and cost
- Resistant to atmospheric degradation, de-icing
salts, chemicals from spillages, etc.
- Reduction in maintenance requirements,
through-life costs and disruption
- Carbon fiber reinforced plastics are thermally
stable which may remove need for expansion
joints
• In bridge construction fibers can be used in the
main load bearing structures, decking, cables and
supports.
Opening footbridge in Fredrikstad,
Norway
Other uses of carbon fiber –
• Fiber reinforced plastic profiles
• I-beams, rectangular and circle-section pipes
• Textiles made of carbon fiber can be used in the
glue laminated timber or laminated veneer
lumber.

8. CARBON FIBRE 8
ADVANTAGES
• Carbon fibers can assume any shapes and provide
close contact to the strengthened structure.
• Strengthening using carbon fibers allows to avoid
interference to the initial structure
• Carbon fiber straps is easy to install to the
structure.
• Installation of this straps didn’t require such high
skill from worker, like in traditional methods.
Therefore works with carbon fiber textiles cheaper,
than with traditional materials.
• Using of easy technologies can make the works
faster and save time.
• In many cases it is possible to save original shape of
the structure and save space.
• Quality of strengthening with carbon fibers is
relatively high especially in comparison with
traditional methods for columns.
• For some structures it is possible to use pretension
of outer straps made of carbon fibers.
DISADVANTAGES
• Break or shatter when it’s compressed
• Not easy recyclable
• Oxidizes in air at temperatures above 450⁰C.
• Poor impact strength of composites.
• Low fire resistance of resins, used as adhesive
for gluing of straps.
• Expensive materials.
• This method is not applicable for high
reinforced beams and slabs, where fragile failure
can occur in compressed zone of concrete.