Abstract
Despite costing up to 10 times more than steel the ultra-lightweight and durability of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) makes it an attractive alternative for breathing new life into the world's ageing infrastructure. However, with only a decade of research and experience and very little in the way of design codes, many engineers are still wary of using FRP despite its obvious advantages.This paper reviews the basic mechanical properties of carbon, aramid and glass FRP composites and highlights what designers should look out for—including the risk of brittle failure, sunlight and alkaline damage and toxic fumes when burning.