Since long time Steel Rockbolt Systems have made possible several new construction designs in civil engineering and are used mainly as a temporary support measure.
FiReP^® GRP Rockbolt Systems however, not only open up new design possibilities, but also offer consulting and project engineers a highly useful addition to the commonly used steel rockbolt systems. They further increase the flexibility of rock bolting, giving a support system which can easily be adjusted to the prevailing rock conditions met during driving.
FiReP^® Rockbolt Systems are best suited in applications that require high tensile strength and the particular characteristics of fiberglass materials. Applied correctly they contribute substantially to the reduction of construction cost.

CORROSION RESISTANCE

FiReP^® GRP Rockbolt Systems are corrosion resistant and, therefore, the only currently available rockbolt systems which can be regarded as permanent, even under difficult conditions with aggressive water and rock deformations.
Corrosion is the most pressing material problem worldwide. With capital, downtime and material cost rising, corrosion prevention is high on many industries list of priorities. Every minute, several tons of steel are lost to corrosion. The cost of corrosion protection is enormous, even then however the problem is delayed rather than solved. Conversely, correctly applied FiReP^® GRP Rockbolt Systems support the construction over its entire life.
Because of its anti-corrosion concept, the FiReP^® GRP Rockbolt technology is used increasingly in land reinforcement and as ground anchors.

SINGLE-LINING SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Because of the durability of the materials, FiReP^® GRP Rockbolt Systems can be utilized not only as a temporary support, as with regular steel rockbolts, but also integrated into the calculations for the final load-bearing structure. In-situ concrete shells can therefore be reduced or even eliminated. This so-called “SINGLE-LINING” tunnel construction method is widely used in Switzerland in military and civil caverns. The final support consists solely of rockbolts and reinforced shotcrete. With the achieved improvements of those materials, single-lining tunnels will further increase in importance. The cost reductions, especially in the large scale Alpine cross tunnels are enormous. The construction cost of a railway tunnel for low speed or a highway tunnel with moderate traffic can be reduced by up to 50%.