Glassfiber Reinforced Concrete (GRC) was introduced by GEL in 1979 on license from Pilkinton Brothers Ltd. of England. Since then GRC has been one of GEL's most successful products, adorning many of Bangkok's most recognized building including the Wall Street Tower, Peninsular Plaza, Amarin Plaza and the New Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel. GRC is a unique mixture of cement and sand reinforced with a special glassfiber, creating a thin but strong material which may be easily formed into a wide variety of ornamental shapes. The light weight GRC are easily transported and put in place.
It is the concrete consisting of to serve the pushing force and fiber glass to serve the pulling force. Compared to the properties of other materials, the fiber glass has the advantages in the toughness. The fiber is long and small resulting in the thinner works of 5 millimeters such as tiles, reinforced paper. In case of comparing to the reinforced concrete which requires the concrete in covering the reinforced iron for not less than 2.5 cm, the reinforced concrete cannot be considered as the light materials compared to GRC designed to serve the equal force.
GRC presents architects and engineers with a material from which the most ambitious designs or to replicate traditional historic features. It can be painted, faced with fine aggregates, coloured or simply left with a natural white or gray, smooth or textured finish.
