ABSTRACT
Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites consist of a fibre matrix made from materials such as carbon, glass, or aramid fibres embedded in a resin matrix (Hollaway and Spencer 2000). The fibres of the composite matrix can be positioned into different orientations to most efficiently follow the stress distributions of the structure. An FRP sheet is flexible enough to strengthen curved surfaces. FRP materials are also resistant to corrosion, and hence maintenance and painting can be kept to a minimum (Tavakkolizadeh and Saadatmanesh 2001). As mentioned in Chapter 1, the weakest link in the FRP-metal system is the adhesive. The bond behaviour between FRP and metal depends on the material properties of adhesives. This chapter deals with the properties of FRP, adhesives, and metals.
