Advancing Structural Plastics into the Future

Abstract

A state‐of‐the‐art background including the role of ASCE over the past 25 years is presented. During this time fiber‐reinforced plastics (FRP) have been used effectively in civil engineering facilities such as pipes, water treatment plants, and structures exposed to highly corrosive environments. Interest in broader applications of structural plastics throughout the construction industry has grown within the past decade. New or extended areas of research needed to provide civil engineers with the property data and structural behavioral information for structural plastics are discussed. Topics include infrastructure rehabilitation, characterization of composite materials, design guides for future materials systems, and adaptation of construction practice. Desired changes in governmental regulations and policies are offered and needed modifications to national educational programs are analyzed.