Why FRP Chemical Resistance Matters: How FRP Resins Protect Australia’s Infrastructure

Strong, resilient infrastructure is essential for Australia’s industries to thrive. However, harsh chemicals like salt, chlorine, acids, and other corrosive agents silently wear down traditional materials like timber and metal. This degradation increases safety risks, and leads to higher maintenance needs, and rising costs.

To solve these challenges, Fibreglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP) has emerged as a durable and safe solution. Its engineered FRP chemical resistance allows infrastructure to withstand prolonged exposure to corrosive substances, significantly reducing deterioration and lowering whole-of-life costs.

But before looking at how FRP addresses these issues, it’s important to understand the challenges traditional materials face in chemically challenging environments.

CCA leaching and other challenges of chemical exposure for traditional materials

Infrastructure materials face serious challenges when exposed to harsh chemicals common in many environments.

A particular concern is copper chrome arsenate (CCA)-treated timber, containing arsenic. This material is common in older walkways, jetties, and boardwalks – especially in substructures where moisture exposure is high. Over time, CCA leaching causes arsenic to seep into the soil and water nearby, especially in wet, salty, or chlorine-prone areas. Because of the environmental and health risks of CCA leaching, Australia restricted its use in high-contact domestic structures in 2012 but it remains prevalent in many existing public structures.

Timber isn’t the only risk. Metal also fails in these environments – rust, pitting, and surface degradation occur rapidly in salt or chemical-heavy air.

Other key challenges include:

• Rot: Prolonged exposure to moisture and chemicals accelerates timber rot, weakening structural integrity and reducing service life.
• Corrosion: Metals exposed to salt spray, chlorine, and acids suffer corrosion that weakens structural components, making them brittle and unsafe. This degradation leads to increased maintenance needs and costly repairs.
• Safety hazards: Moisture and chemical exposure cause timber surfaces to become slippery, increasing the likelihood of slips and falls especially when used in walkways, while corroded metals may develop sharp edges, creating hazards for users and workers.

These challenges make it clear why FRP chemical resistance is vital. FRP does not leach or degrade and is naturally resistant to rot, warping, and cracking – even under long-term wet or chemical exposure.

Understanding FRP chemical resistance: How engineered resin systems protect infrastructure

The common misconception about FRP is that it’s just plastic – and that couldn’t be further away from the truth. In fact, FRP is a very advanced composite material, equally lightweight and durable. FRP chemical resistance comes from its resin system, carefully selected to match the environment in which it’s installed.

FRP’s engineered resin matrix binds the reinforcing fibres and forms a robust barrier against aggressive substances. Terra Firma’s FRP products primarily use two resin types, each offering specific performance benefits for different environments:

Isophthalic Polyester Resin is ideal for moderate chemical environments, as it offers reliable resistance to salt, mild acids, and alkalis. It’s best suited for:

• Agriculture: Handles exposure to fertilisers, pesticides, and cleaning chemicals used in produce processing areas and livestock facilities.
• Parks and gardens: Performs reliably under regular exposure to cleaning agents, moisture, and weathering while maintaining non-slip performance and appearance.
• Marinas and coastal installations: Provides reliable resistance to salt spray, UV exposure, and occasional chlorine washdowns without rapid degradation.
• Vinyl Ester Resin is designed for highly aggressive, chemically volatile environments, providing superior resistance to strong acids, chlorine, hydrocarbons, and solvents. It’s best suited for:
• Water treatment plants: Superior resistance to a wide range of harsh chemicals used in water treatment processes, preventing material breakdown in wet, corrosive environments.
• Aquatics facilities: Resists continuous chlorine vapours, high humidity, and frequent chemical cleaning, offering long-term reliability in pool plant rooms and around pool infrastructure.
• Petroleum sites: Handles exposure to hydrocarbons, solvents, and chemical cleaners commonly found in petroleum processing and refuelling areas.
• Food processing: Maintains integrity under strong cleaning agents, acids, and sanitisation chemicals, protecting floors, platforms, and grating without affecting appearance or surface integrity.

Check out the FRP chemical resistance chart for detailed resin–chemical matching.

FRP chemical resistance in action at Brushy Creek Water Treatment Plant

Facing constant exposure to chlorine, moisture, and soil movement, Brushy Creek Water Treatment Plant sought materials that could withstand these harsh conditions while reducing maintenance and safety risks. By adopting FRP, the facility has experienced notable benefits:

• Chemical resistance: FRP withstands prolonged exposure to chlorine and other corrosive substances, preventing deterioration common in traditional materials.
• Reduced maintenance: The durability of FRP means fewer inspections, repairs, and replacements, cutting operational downtime and costs.
• Enhanced safety with non-slip surfaces: FRP grating for chemical resistance provides excellent traction. The grating design allows water and chemicals to pass through, preventing puddling and slippery surfaces common with timber and metal decks, and reducing accident risks in wet and chemically exposed environments.
• Structural resilience: The material’s ability to adapt to a wide range of fittings to prevent cracking and warping, preserving structural integrity.

Brushy Creek’s switch to FRP has extended the lifespan of its infrastructure, enhanced safety, and delivered significant cost savings, demonstrating why FRP chemical resistance is a critical factor in material selection for demanding environments.

Whole-of-life benefits of FRP

Choosing materials with engineered FRP chemical resistance delivers substantial advantages throughout the entire lifespan of infrastructure assets:

• Longevity: FRP structures typically last 30 years or more in chemically aggressive environments – significantly longer than timber or metal alternatives.
• Lower maintenance costs: Resistance to rot, corrosion, and chemicals reduces the frequency and cost of repairs and replacements.
• Improved safety: FRP’s slip-resistant surfaces maintain safer walking conditions, reducing accident risks over time.
• Environmental resilience: UV stability and colour retention keep FRP durable and visually reliable in outdoor settings.
• Adaptability: FRP’s flexibility accommodates soil shifts and environmental changes without cracking or warping, preserving structural integrity.

These benefits contribute to lower whole-of-life costs, making FRP a cost-effective and safe solution.

The critical role of FRP chemical resistance in infrastructure longevity

Whether you’re dealing with salt spray in a marina, chlorine tanks in a pool plant, or acids in food processing, chemical exposure is ongoing – and predictable. Using materials not designed to resist those agents leads to safety hazards, rising costs, and avoidable replacements. FRP delivers safe, long-term performance that eliminates leaching, decay, and breakdown.

To explore how FRP can protect your infrastructure, download our comprehensive FRP chemical resistance chart or contact Terra Firma for expert guidance tailored to your project’s unique requirements.