Fiberglass concrete - concrete, but reinforced with alkali-resistant fiberglass, evenly dispersed throughout the volume of a fine-grained concrete matrix. It is reliable, lightweight (does not require iron reinforcement), versatile - which makes this finishing material more and more popular in architecture of different directions.
The technology of using fiberglass in a concrete matrix was first tested in Russia even before the Great Patriotic War, but then this material was not widely used. The unique capabilities of GRC were appreciated only in the 1970s, first in the UK, then in the USA and Europe. Since then, there has been a rapid growth in the use of glass fiber reinforced concrete practically all over the world. The material was used primarily as façade decor and in the USA as prefabricated cladding panels for high-rise buildings.
In Russia, GRC has been produced and actively used for over 20 years. One of the leaders in the market for design, production and installation of decorative elements made of glass fiber reinforced concrete is the OrtOst-Fasad company, which is part of the Kladez group of companies. OrtOst-Facad has been on the market for over 14 years. Using its own production and relying on the most modern technologies, the company can offer a full range of services in the field of decorative finishing, facade stucco molding, as well as reconstruction and restoration of building facades. Since its inception, OrtOst-Facad has implemented about 100 projects in Russia and abroad.
Analyzing modern domestic experience, the company's employees emphasize that GRC elements are now used in various fields. In addition to cladding panels and tiles for the installation of hinged ventilated facades, SFB is actively used to create various elements of architectural decor, fencing balconies and loggias, as basement slabs and panels with various reliefs. In low-rise construction, products with glass-fiber-reinforced concrete sheathing, as well as multilayer panels with thermal insulation, are very popular.
Such a wide scope of application of this material is associated with its unique properties. First of all, it should be said about the strength of the material, which significantly exceeds the strength of ordinary concrete. The disadvantage of concrete, as, indeed, of any stone, is its low tensile strength. In glass fiber concrete, tensile stresses are taken on by glass fibers, which significantly increases the resistance of the composite to tensile and bending, and also increases the impact strength by about 10–15 times. At the same time, the service life of the products also increases - it becomes practically unlimited. This material without damage tolerates temperature and humidity, dynamic and even chemical influences - in particular, the effects of reagents.
Fiberglass concrete is highly resistant to cracking, moreover, it is waterproof, frost-resistant and non-combustible. All glass fiber concrete products are not subject to corrosion and decay, do not contain harmful and toxic components. All this allows the material to be used in the construction of schools and kindergartens, where fiberglass, polymer concrete or expanded polystyrene is strictly prohibited. The OrtOst-Fasad company has all safety certificates, which allows it to work with objects of any complexity, including institutions for children.
The company is also involved in the construction of strategically important facilities. Now "OrtOst-Facade" is finishing finishing the building of the Academy of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation - an exclusive and secret facility, where the company completed all the works on finishing the facades, production and installation of decorative elements.
Another colossal advantage of the material in question is its weight, which is much less than the weight of products made of traditional reinforced concrete (as a rule, this is 10% of the weight of reinforced concrete). This greatly facilitates the process of transportation and installation of structures, and also reduces the cost of manufacturing, and, consequently, the cost of construction in general.
In addition to the exceptional functional properties, fiberglass concrete has extraordinary plasticity and great potential for a wide variety of shapes, which is due to the absence of a rigid reinforcing cage. Externally, absolutely accurately reproducing a stone, glass fiber concrete is able to acquire outlines that are very unexpected for a stone material. This property is clearly demonstrated in the residential complex "Na Trubetskoy", located in the Khamovniki district. The company "OrtOst-Fasad" here installed cast columns and decorative cornices made of glass fiber reinforced concrete - volumetric and carved, in the upper part of the building reaching four meters in height. But the most interesting thing is that they are made in the form of a graceful wave, uncharacteristic of a stone. Thus, GRC opens up unique opportunities for working with volumetric plastics of the facade.
Fiberglass concrete reproduces the smallest details, allowing you to get a wide variety of textures and colors. It easily imitates various finishing materials - for example, wood. So, in the office center on Dovzhenko Street, under the roof, it was proposed to make a coffered ceiling, exactly repeating the texture and color of the tree. This building is still under construction, but today it is clear what its under-roof part will look like - homely warm, but very solemn at the same time.
The color capabilities of the material are worth mentioning separately. The technology for the production of glass fiber concrete allows the production of pigmented material, and also provides for the possibility of its subsequent coloring in any tone.
The office center "Lefort", built in 2006 on Elektrozavodskaya street in Moscow, is almost completely finished with glass fiber concrete tiles. The expressiveness of the building is achieved largely due to the color scheme of the facades. The fact is that each individual tile is painted in its own shade of blue. The combination of decorative tiles gives a lively, voluminous and rich color, similar to a stormy spring sky.
Another interesting project carried out with the participation of OrtOst-Fasad is the Italian Quarter residential complex in Moscow on Dolgorukovskaya Street. From the very beginning, the architect Mikhail Filippov intended to decorate the smoothly curved facades of the ceremonial building with glass-fiber-reinforced concrete elements: columns framing the central entrance, and semi-columns following along the entire main facade, and thin cornices and window decoration. We can say that here the characteristics of the material allowed the architect to embody all the architectural and artistic techniques, without fear of unnecessary stress on the structural frame of the building.
A similar solution can be observed on the facade of the administrative and commercial building on the Arbat, designed by the Senab Project bureau. Only here, in addition to the classic architectural details made of glass fiber reinforced concrete with copper outflows, semi-columns and brackets, there were also sculptural elements, bas-reliefs and forged fences.
However, the possibilities of GRC are not limited to classical architecture - it is no less actively used by masters professing laconic minimalism of modern style. Plastic possibilities are especially appreciated here, allowing to implement the most modern trends in working with stone and materials imitating it. Often, architects turn to floral or geometric ornaments and stone designs, where glass fiber concrete opens up simply colossal opportunities. The experience of combinatorics and materials integration is no less interesting. For example, in the project
"Garden Quarters" its author Sergei Skuratov invented rather complex three-dimensional elements for the facades, and it is clear that it was impossible to use classical brickwork in this case. The OrtOst-Facad company offered finishing of pylons and lintels of complex geometric shapes made of glass fiber reinforced concrete with clinker tiles integrated into the front surface on a metal frame. It turned out very unusual and impressive.
As mentioned above, the material imitates stucco decoration well, therefore it is often used for the reconstruction and restoration of buildings. Just a few months ago, the OrtOst-Fasad company received a license to work with monuments of architecture and cultural heritage. However, the company already has experience in reconstruction and recreation of significant, but for one reason or another, objects that did not receive the status of a monument. One of the brightest in this series can be considered the project of reconstruction of the hotel "Moscow", for which the company "OrtOst-Fasad" completed more than 80% of the facade decor - down to the smallest details.
There are a lot of promising directions for even wider application of GRC. It is also possible to predict the success of this material in our country because architects themselves are increasingly making a choice in favor of glass-fiber reinforced concrete, which can extend the life of their creation.
