A study on the application of advanced thermoplastic composites for use in building construction industry

New thermoplastic polymer composites promise exciting development in the composites and aerospace industries. Considerable efforts have been devoted on combining thermoplastic matrix such as polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), polyetherimide (PEI), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) and polyethersulphone (PES) with various forms of continuous fiber reinforcements (e.g. unidirectional, woven fabrics) to produce thermoplastic composite materials. Low scrap/good recyclability, better toughness/damage tolerance, unlimited shelf-life, recyclability and rapid fabrication cycle are some of their attractive features. Investigations will be made on its applications in building construction industry in systematic and scientific way. In this research, theoretical prediction of reinforced composites by combination of most commonly used fiber, thermosets and thermoplastic matrix will be presented by means of numerical micromechanical models. Scheduled experimental works based on international acceptable standards will be followed to verify the overall accuracy of theoretical models.