ARCHITECTURAL

SEPTEMBER 2011
GLASS REINFORCED CONCRETE
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE
Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC) was first introduced in the late 1960’s and since then has
become the first choice for many architects and developers throughout the world when looking for a
contemporary cladding solution.

Products manufactured from GRC all share the same characteristics of high strength and low weight
however what makes the material truly unique is its ability to be manufactured in virtually any shape
or size. Crisp and clean rectilinear or complex curvilinear profiles are all possible allowing one of the
ultimate expressions of both function and form to create truly stunning and unique building
facades.

With GRC just about anything is possible ........

02
 Company 5
Introduction, Design & Moulds, Manufacturing, Testing,
Accreditation

Types of GRC 11
Premix & Spray

Applications 13
Architectural Dressings, Door Surrounds, Canopies,
Copings, Cladding Panels, Interiors

Finishes & Textures 20

Sand Blasted, Textured, Photo Image, Bespoke Patterns

Technical Information 25
Material Selector, Characteristic Properties, Dead Load
Comparisons, Standards & Specifications, Environmental

Acknowledgements
The company acknowledges the following organisations for the reproduction and use of photographs provided
by them within this brochure:
Berkeley Group, Jack Wills Ltd, Interserve Ltd
Marilyn Monroe rubber mould liner manufactured by Reckli GbmH

03
INTRODUCTION

GRCUK is one of Europe’s leading

manufacturers of GRC architectural
components and cladding systems. We are
totally committed and focused on providing
our customers with the very best possible
combination of quality, sustainability and
service.

Whilst we firmly believe in the principles and

best practice of GRC manufacture evolved
over the last forty years, we are equally
innovative in our approach to providing
building solutions in the most cost effective
manner. As such research and development
supported by a continuous process of
testing and evaluation are an integral part of
our business.

Wherever possible all processes are carried

out in house. This includes design, mould
manufacture and a rigorous process of
quality control in our own on site laboratory.

We can accommodate virtually any

requirements from small architectural
components to large scale cladding panels
in either rectilinear or complex curvilinear
profiles.

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COMPANY

DESIGN & MOULD MAKING

The design of GRC products is a very
specialist activity which should only be
undertaken by experienced engineers and
technicians.

We offer all our customers a complete

design and detailing service to ensure that
profiles are correctly manufactured to resist
the various loads they will be subjected to.
Equally important is to design support and
restraint systems which are capable of
providing the required range of movement
due to reversible and irreversible shrinkage,
thermal expansion, contraction and of
course building deflection. During this
design process we also work with other
manufacturers and suppliers to ensure a
successful interface with other materials
used in the construction.

Working with some of the world’s leading

GRC engineers we routinely provide full
design calculations based on the extensive
data collected from our laboratory testing
procedures. These would form part of any
post completion documentation records
required.

All our design work is fully backed by

Professional Indemnity insurance and
Design Warranties are available if required.

Throughout the design process our skilled

and time served pattern makers advise on
the practicalities of creating the moulds
required to translate drawings into high
quality GRC components. In this way we
can ensure that we offer not only the most
practical but cost effective solutions.

06
 COMPANY

MANUFACTURING

Our Sheffield facility is one of the largest

dedicated GRC manufacturing plants in the
UK. Completely self contained with pattern
shop, steel fabrication works, casting area
and internal storage we operate on the
principle of all raw materials arriving at one
end with cured products leaving at the
other.

We have the capability to manufacture GRC

in any of the three recognised processes,
cast premix, sprayed premix and
simultaneous spray.

Our factory is fully temperature controlled to

ensure our products are manufactured and
cured in optimum environmental conditions.
All raw materials are stored internally to
avoid any contamination.

Essential to our philosophies the production

process is fully traceable from start to finish
using a highly developed software planning
system which provides barcode labels for
each and every component. These show
not only the date and sequence of casting
but useful site information such as item
weight etc.

07
COMPANY

TESTING
.
A regular programme of testing is absolutely
essential in the manufacture of GRC
products. The equipment required to carry
out the regular production testing in
compliance to British and European
standards is not only highly specialised but
represents considerable capital investment.

As part of our Quality Management

Systems we operate an in-house laboratory
to carry out reception control tests on raw
materials in addition to the required product
control testing in accordance with BS EN
1170 Parts 1-6.

Frequencies of testing generally exceed

those required under both BS EN 1169 and
the GRCA Specification.

All testing records are available on request

and form part of our fully traceable
production process systems.

In addition to mandatory testing we also

carry out specialist test work such as flex
anchor pull off etc.

08
 COMPANY
ACCREDITATION
Our Sheffield facility is fully certified under
the International Glassfibre Reinforced
Concrete Association Approved
Manufacturer Scheme for both premix and
sprayed GRC . The scheme is a production
based quality management scheme for
specialist manufacturers of GRC throughout
the world.

All AMS members are assessed on their

capability to manufacture in accordance
with internationally recognised best
practice.

09
TYPES OF GRC
GRC is a composite material manufactured primarily from, hydraulic cement, silica sands, alkali
resistant glass fibres, water and other additives.

Where GRC differs from other precast concretes is the significantly enhanced tensile and bending
strengths achieved by the addition of the glass fibre strands throughout the matrix. These
characteristics allow components to be cast with profiles as thin as 10mm thus reducing the unit
weight by up to 90%.

Unlike other concretes which are classified by compressive strengths GRC is defined by its
resistance to flexing or bending stresses. The International Glass Reinforced Concrete Association
(GRCA) Specification recognises three grades of GRC, Grade 8, 10 and 18. These are obtained by
the characteristic bending strength of the material, which is primarily a product of fibre content.

10
 TYPES OF GRC

Premix GRC

Premix is a process where the fibres are added to the concrete slurry during the mixing process.
The material is then poured or pumped into a mould using very similar methods to precast concrete.
Moulds are generally two part to create hollow core items. Because the mix is required to be
relatively fluid, fibre content is at the low end of the scale. The lower strength of the material means
it is generally only suitable for smaller architectural features.

A relatively new development is sprayed premix. This uses the same mix formulations however the
concrete is sprayed into an open mould thus removing the need for complex moulds.

Sprayed GRC

Sprayed GRC is a process where the concrete slurry and fibres chopped from continuous rovings
are simultaneously sprayed into open moulds. This method allows far higher fibre content along with
longer strands and multi directional orientation.

The resultant material offers significantly higher strength characteristics allowing large cladding
panels up to 20m² to be manufactured.

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APPLICATIONS

ARCHITECTURAL DRESSINGS
Architectural dressings, usually in natural or cast stone, are part of the UK’s building heritage. Both
private or commercial developments in either traditional or contemporary styles all benefit from
designs featuring this type of product. However the use of these components can present builders
with two major issues, weight and damage. Dressings manufactured from GRC can help alleviate or
completely eliminate these problems.

Because of the ability to cast with hollow cores, weight is reduced substantially and most
components can easily be handled by one or two operatives without the need of expensive lifting
equipment.

The effect of blending fibres throughout the matrix and the increased cement content result in a
material which is significantly more resistant to impact than traditional cast stone. Only a very severe
impact will damage high quality GRC and in such situations the binding effect of the fibres ensure
that any repairs required are minimal.

GRC units can often be retro fitted which not only take the items away from the critical build path but
also reduce the chances of any soiling scuffing etc. by secondary trades.

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 APPLICATIONS

DOOR SURROUNDS
Our GRC door surrounds are an ideal alternative to the white plastic (GRP) type seen on many
housing developments throughout the UK.

Looking identical to a costly natural or cast stone surround, these components can be easily fitted to
both new build and existing properties at minimal cost. All our door surrounds can be fitted to a
suitable masonry substrate using supplied fixing kits in approximately 2-3 hours.

We offer a range of standard surrounds, details of which can be obtained from our sales office, or of
course, are happy to manufacture to any bespoke design as required.

GRCUK door surrounds can transform the appearance of otherwise bland front entrances and of
course add considerable “kerb appeal” in a difficult sales market.

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APPLICATIONS

DOOR CANOPIES

We offer a range of GRC door canopies in

either traditional or contemporary design.

Like our door surrounds these components

are easily fitted to completed buildings and
are comparable in price to similar products
in plastic, acrylic etc.

Please contact our sales office for further

details

PARAPET COPINGS

Used primarily in traditional masonry cavity

wall construction our copings are identical in
appearance to those manufactured in
natural or cast stone.

The major advantage of these items is the

reduction in weight offered. The installation
of copings is normally considered a
“repetitive” lifting operation. All our copings
for cavity wall constructions up to 350mm
wide weigh less than 20Kg. As such they
can easily be installed by one operative
without the need for risk assessments etc.

Larger bespoke copings in either premix or

simultaneous spray can easily be produced
to client requirements. These units also
offer significant weight savings over more
traditional cast stone or precast.

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 APPLICATIONS

INTERIORS
Few masonry materials are as versatile as GRC which is particularly suitable when creating stone or
concrete features within buildings.

As well as being able to be cast or sprayed in virtually any shape or size the lightweight nature of
GRC products allows them to be easily transported and handled, a major advantage when working
in a restricted environment. In refurbishment of existing buildings loads on floors etc is significantly
reduced over more traditional materials.

We offer a complete bespoke design, manufacture and installation service for all interior GRC
applications in offices, hotels, retail outlets, shopping centres etc. Products include archways,
columns, rock features, ceilings, stair treads and many more.

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APPLICATIONS

CLADDING PANELS

GRC is an ideal facade cladding material and it’s principle use throughout the world is in this
application.

Unlike panel cladding systems our GRC can easily be moulded into virtually any shape or size
allowing the ultimate in architectural expression. Returns, curves and multi dimensional faces are all
possible in sizes ranging from 1-20m². As such we can offer not only walling panels but column
claddings, balcony cladding panels, spandrel panels etc. In truth there’s not much we can’t clad.

The major advantage of our GRC is to offer a relatively light weight cladding system when compared
to either natural precast or cast stone products and yet when installed our products are virtually
identical in both look and touch to natural stone. Due to the inherent characteristics of the material
and the use of acrylic polymers within the mix designs both water absorption and carbonation are
reduced thus allowing components to retain their supplied appearance longer.

The lower weight of our GRC claddings not only makes installation easier and more cost effective
but structures and support systems can be designed from the outset to carry less imposed loading
again further reducing cost.

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 APPLICATIONS

Our standard and non pigmented colour is Portland stone which after a light grit blast is virtually
identical to the quarried mineral. With the addition of colouring pigments and/or special aggregates
such as granite, dolomite, crushed glass we can offer designers and developers a virtual unlimited
pallet of colours and textures.

In partnership with the University of Derby we can also offer our customers unique and innovate
patterning option to many profiles. Using advanced digital modelling software developed by the
university’s faculty of design and technology and our progressive mould manufacturing techniques,
virtually any form of motif or repeating pattern can be cast into the faces of our product. This of
course allows designers to embody buildings and structures with a distinctive and individual
identities.

All our cladding panels in excess of 1m² are generally cast using the “spray” process as defined in
BS EN 15191. This is the strongest form of GRC offering significantly higher tensile, bending and
impact strength than other classifications of GRC. All such cladding solutions are bespoke designed
to individual projects and supported by full and comprehensive professional indemnity insurance.

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TEXTURES

We can offer cladding panels in a variety of

textures as shown on the following pages.

In addition our partnership with the

University of Derby allows us to offer
bespoke three dimensional patterns to be
created from any digital format.

Please note these patterns are only suitable

for large scale cladding components

F02

F00 F03

F01 F04

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 TEXTURES

F05 F08

F06 F09

F07 F10

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TEXTURES

F11 F14

F12 F15

F13 F16

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 TEXTURES

F17 F17

F18 PHOTO IMAGE

F17 BESPOKE PATTERN

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 TECHNICAL

GENERAL GUIDE TO MATERIAL SELECTION

Components Premix Spray

Cills Yes No

Copings Yes No

Heads, Band Courses (Retro Fit) Yes No

Heads, Band Courses (Built in) Yes No

Door Surrounds & Canopies Yes Yes

Cornices < 1m² Area Yes Yes

Cornices > 1m² Area No Yes

Cladding Panels < 1m² Area Yes Yes

Cladding Panels > 1m² Area No Yes

Soffit Panels < 1m² Yes Yes

Soffit Panels > 1m² No Yes

Column Cladding < 1m² Yes Yes

Column Cladding > 1m² No Yes

The above is given as general guidance only. All GRC should be engineer designed to suit
individual applications.

Please contact us to discuss specific project requirements

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TECHNICAL

CHARACTERISTIC PROPERTIES
Property Units Premix Spray

Dry Density kg/m3 1800-2000 1800-2000

Water Absorption % 8-13 8-13

Apparent Porosity % 16-25 16-25

Compressive Strength MPa 40-50 50-60

Bend over Point (BOP) MPa 3-5 4-6

Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) MPa 3-6 8-12

Limit of Proportionality (LOP) or Elastic Limit MPa 6-10 7-12

Modulus of Rupture (MOR) or Ultimate Failure MPa 8-14 18-30

Interlaminar Shear MPa N/A 3-5

In-Plane Shear MPa 4-6 7-12

Impact Strength KJ/m² 7-12 15-20

Thermal Conductivity W/mK 0.5-1 0.5-1

DEAD LOAD COMPARISON CLADDING PANELS

Area Precast GRC Saving

100m² 22 tonnes 6 tonnes 16 tonnes

200m² 44 tonnes 12 tonnes 32 tonnes

400m² 88 tonnes 24 tonnes 64 tonnes

800m² 176 tonnes 48 tonnes 128 tonnes

1600m² 352 tonnes 96 tonnes 256 tonnes

2200m² 704 tonnes 192 tonnes 512 tonnes

4400m² 1408 tonnes 384 tonnes 1024 tonnes

Above data based on panel thickness of 100mm and average density at 3% moisture content of 2200 Kg/m³

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 TECHNICAL

STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS

All GRC products are manufactured, classified and tested in accordance with the following:

BS EN 1169 General rules for factory production of glass fibre reinforced cement
BS EN 15191 Classification of glassfibre reinforced concrete performance
IGRCA International Specification for manufacture and testing of Glassfibre
Reinforced Concrete
BS EN 1170:1 Measuring consistency of the matrix
BS EN 1170:2 Measuring the fibre content in fresh GRC
BS EN 1170:3 Measuring the fibre content of sprayed GRC
BS EN 1170-4 Simplified bending test
BS EN 1170:5 Complete bending test
BS EN 1170-6 Determination of the absorption of water by immersion and the
determination of the dry density.
BS EN 1170-7 Measurement of extremes of dimensional variations due to moisture
content
BS EN 1170-8 Cyclic weathering test

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TECHNICAL
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

Using GRC as a facade cladding or architectural dressing can offer a real and sustainable
contribution to reducing the environmental impact of a building.

All concrete products contain cement as part of the matrix formulation. The production of cement
contributes approximately 5% of the world’s output of Co2 emissions due to the processes required
in it’s manufacture. Whilst GRC actually has a higher cement content than most other forms of pre-
cast concrete, the reduction of actual mass in any given product effectively results in far lower
cement usage

As an example a 3000mmx1200mmx75mm precast concrete cladding panel will contain around 180
-200Kg of cement whilst the equivalent GRC panel will contain approximately 50Kg of cement. This
represents a saving on Co2 emissions of 75%.

Equally whilst transit volume remains the same as traditional concrete vehicle emissions are also
reduced due to lower gross vehicle weights.

The result of the above gives a common building construction of cladding, cavity, EPDM, insulation,
light steel framing and plasterboard a BREEAM rating of A+ when GRC is used as a facade
cladding.

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ul Information

able from www.grca.co.uk

ational from www.bsi.org

1169 General rules for factory production of glass– fibre reinforced cement

1170 1:1998 Measuring the consistency of the

“Slump test” method

1170 2:1998 Measuring the fibre content in fresh GRC “Wash out test”

1170 3:1998 Measuring the fibre content of sprayed GRC

1170 4:1998 Measuring bending strength “simplified bending test”

1170 5: 1998 Measuring bending strength “complete bending test method”

1170 6:1998 Determination of the absorption of water by immersion and the determination of the dry
y

1170 7:1998 Measurement of extremes of

sional variations due to moisture content

97:2000 Design and installation of non-www.grconline.com

.grctesting.com
ss Reinforced Concrete UK Ltd 2011

be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of the author.

every care has been taken in the preparation of the document to ensure that any advice, recommendations or information is
ate, no liability or responsibility of any kind is accepted in respect of Glass Reinforced
ete UK Ltd

© Glass Reinforced Concrete UK Ltd 2011

Not to be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of the author.

Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of the document to ensure that any advice,
recommendations or information is accurate, no liability or responsibility of any kind is accepted in respect of
Glass Reinforced Concrete UK Ltd

Glass Reinforced Concrete UK Ltd,

1-3 Redwood Court, Campbell Way, Dinnington, Sheffield. S25 3NQ
T: +44 1909 566911 F: +44 1909 569399
info@grcuk.com
www.grcuk.com
Part of the Fibrobeton Worldwide Alliance