GLASS FIBER REINFORCED

GYPSUM
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CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. GFRG Panels
3. Need of alternative technology in construction
4. Dimensions
5. Mechanical propertied
6. Uses of GFRG panels
7. Stages For Constructing GFRG Building
8. Advantages and limitations

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INTRODUCTION
Glass Fiber Reinforced Gypsum (GFRG)is a recently developed
building product .It is manufactured using Gypsum as a core material.
In the civil engineering field GFRG is used mainly as panels like load
bearing walls, partition infill walls, mass housing, multistoried
buildings. It is a cost effective building product used for mass scale
affordable housing. It can be load bearing or non-load bearing wall
panels. In this panel can be used as walls and floor slab or as roof slab.
By the use of GFRG many benefits can be achieved they are very fast
construction, reduced hassle of construction with less material, cost
saving, fire resistant, strong, quality construction, less maintenance
cost, corrosion free, light weight etc.

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GFRG PANELS
 GFRG wall is also called as Rapid wall is an energy
efficient green building material with huge potential
for use as load bearing and non load bearing wall
panels

 GFRG wall is load bearing pre-fabricated walling

panel. This is suitable for rapid Mass scale building
construction was originally developed and used
science 1990 in Australia.

 It can be used for both interior and exterior walls.

 GFRG is suitable for hybrid construction of multistory

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building.
NEED OF ALTERNATIVE
TECHNOLOGY IN CONSTRUCTION

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 Increased
population

Depletion Scarcity of
of natural constructio
resources n material

Why we need
alternative
technology in
construction

Water High
scarcity constructi
on cost

Time 6
consuming
DIMENSIONS

GFRG panel are manufactured to a standard size of

Length= 12.0 m, Height= 3.0 m and, Thickness= 124 mm
with modular cavities, and these cavities are formed between outer
skins (flanges), 15 mm thick, and interconnecting ribs, 20 mm thick, at
250 mm spacing. Each one meter length of GFRG panel has four such
cavities of size 230 mm length and 94 mm wide, as shown in Fig1 & 2.

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FIG(1): ENLARGED VIEW OF TYPICAL CELL

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FIG(2): CROSS SECTION OF GFRG PANEL

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MECHANICAL PROPERTIED
Mechanical Property Characteristic Value

Unit weight 0.43 kN/m2

Uni-axial compressive 160 kN/m (empty panel)

strength 1310 kN/m (filled panel)
Ultimate shear strength 21.6 kN/m (empty panel)
61.0 kN/m (filled panel)
Coefficient of thermal 12 x 10-6 mm/mm/°C
expansion
Fire resistance 2.30 hour rating (empty panel)
4.0 hour rating (filled panel)
- withstood 900-1000°C
Water absorption 1% in 1 hour, 3.85% in 24
hours*
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STAGES FOR CONSTRUCTING GFRG
BUILDING
 Construction of sub-structure / foundation:
 Erection of wall panels:

 Reinforcement and Infilling:

 Cutting Of Doors, Windows, Sanitary Fitting, Etc.:

 Roof Slabs Panels

 Staircase

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CONSTRUCTION OF SUB-STRUCTURE /
FOUNDATION
 The foundation for GFRG system can be of the same type
as that used for normal construction, as per the structural
design. Generally strip footings are provided for buildings
on soils which have adequate bearing capacities.

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ERECTION OF WALL PANELS
 Once the foundation is completed, wall panels are to be
erected over the network of reinforced concrete plinth
beams. The panels sent to the site from the factory are
marked using notations specified in the cutting
drawings. Hence, the right panels have to be identified
and lifted using the lifting jaws fixed to the boom of the
crane and placed at the right locations
Reinforcement and Infilling
 Since the cavities house only a very small area, infilling of
concrete can be done using a hopper with a large area at
the mouth and a small area (compared to 230 x 94 mm
cavity) at the discharge gate. It is advisable to use a
clamping system made of angle iron or mild steel flats to
prevent movement of the panels at the joint while
concreting, which can be removed after the initial set of
concrete 13
CUTTING OF DOORS, WINDOWS, SANITARY
FITTING, ETC

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ROOF SLABS PANELS

 GFRG panel can also be used for intermediate floor

slab/roof slab in combination with RC (Refer Figs). The
strength of GFRG slabs can be significantly enhanced by
embedding reinforced concrete micro beams

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STAIRCASE

 The staircase waist slabs and mid-landing slabs were

constructed using GFRG. Flanges from all the cavities were
cut open from the top and were reinforced concrete infilled.
Landing beams were provided at both the floor slab and
mid-landing level. These were also constructed using
GFRG panels. The laying of staircase waist slab panels and
reinforcement inside the cavities is shown in Figures below.

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USES OF GFRG PANELS
The panel may be used generally in the following ways:
1. As lightweight load bearing walling in building (single or double
storey construction) : the panel may be used with or without non-
structural core filling such as insulation, sand polyurethane or lightweight
concrete.
2. As high capacity vertical and shear load bearing structural walling in
multi-storey construction: the panel core shall be filled with reinforced
concrete suitably designed to resist the combined effect of lateral and
gravity loading.
3. As partition infill wall in multi-storey framed building: Panel may also be
filled suitably.
4. As Horizontal floor/ roof slabs with reinforced concrete micro beams.
5. As pitched (sloped) roofing.
6. As cladding for industrial building.
7. As compound walls in combination with minimum quantity of concrete
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GFRG BUILDING SYSTEM HAS FOLLOWING
ADVANTAGES
OVER CONVENTIONAL BUILDING SYSTEMS:
1. High speed of construction.
2. More carpet area for the same built-up area: thickness of
wall panels is only 124mm.
3. Less cost of construction: savings in materials; no cement
plastering.
4. Less building weight (panels weigh only 44 kg/m2), thereby
reduction in design for seismic forces and savings in
foundation, especially in multi-storied buildings.
5. 8 to 10 storied buildings can be designed using GFRG
panels, without the need of conventional RC beams and
columns.
6. Less embodied energy and carbon footprint, significant
reduction in use of steel, cement, sand and water; recycling
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of industrial waste gypsum.
LIMITATION OF USE:

1. Can not be used for wall with circular or higher curvature

2. Clear span shall be limited to 5m for residential buildings, for non
residential buildings, the span shall be limited to as specified in
Designs Manual.

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