The American Manufacturers Association (ACMA) recently-updated manual promotes increased use of composites in grating and stair treads with new manual available through the ACMA Education Hub
July 2, 2019 (Arlington, Va.) – The American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) has released a new resource on the ACMA Education Hub. The official ANSI Approved: FRP Composites Grating Manual for Pultruded and Molded Grating and Stair Treads (2nd Edition) was prepared and developed by ACMA’s Fiberglass Grating Manufacturers Council (FGMC), and it offers an overview of fiberglass grating and includes load tables, tolerances and ordering information to assist engineers and designers with selection of fiberglass grating.
Fiberglass grating has been manufactured and used since the 1960s. It exhibits many features (as compared to metal gratings or wood decks) that are beneficial in a variety of applications. These features include corrosion and rot resistance, light weight, high strength-to-weight, electrical and thermal non-conductivity, and molded-in colors. Due to the relatively low modulus of elasticity of glass fiber reinforced polymers, fiberglass grating is always controlled by the serviceability (deflection) limit state rather than strength limit states. This design methodology results in very high, real safety factors.
The 2nd Edition of the FRP Composites Grating Manual for Pultruded and Molded Grating and Stair Treads provides updates and enhancements for uniform information for safe and efficient design of FRP gratings. The FRP Composites Grating Manual has 3 main sections: load tables, standard specifications, and the code of standard practice. Load tables are used as a reference for engineers to compare the performance of FRP pultruded and molded grating under specified load conditions, and to assist designers with grating series selection. Standard specifications offer guidance for engineers and owners when procurement purchases the grating and assist specifiers in the preparation of contract documents associated with fiberglass grating. The Code of Standard Practice introduces the engineer, designer, and specifier to the accepted standard practices that demonstrate how fiberglass grating manufacturers are guided to make quality products in the composites industry. Additionally, the new resource covers manufacturing tolerances and recommended fasteners to support installers, as well as a testing procedure for quality control and end user product qualification.
ACMA President Tom Dobbins said, “ACMA is committed to the increased use of composites and advanced materials to build more resilient, corrosion resistant, and light weight solutions for many products, including the things we take for granted everyday like the grating on a walkway or reinforced concrete for our bridges and infrastructure. Standards like the ANSI FRP Composites Grating Manual help expand the use of composites by providing reliable data that engineers can use to create innovation.”
Purchase your copy of the resource in digital format or hardcopy through ACMA’s Education Hub at www.acmaeducationhub.org.