COOLING TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE

Fiberglass-Reinforced
Plastic Panels

July 2009 CTI Bulletin STD-131 (09)

 FOREWORD

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Copyright 2009
Approved by the by Cooling Technology Institute CTI - Bulletin
CTI Executive Board Printed in U.S.A. STD-131 (09)
 Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic Panels

1.0 SCOPE acrylated light-stabilized resin composed of

1.1 This specification cover
coverss the classification, polymeric esters in which the recurring
material of construction, workmanship, ester groups are an integral part of the main
physical properties, and methods of testing polymer chain. The resin shall be
glass-fiber reinforced plastic panels in reinforced with glass fibers. Glass fiber
various profiles intended for use as casing, reinforcement may be either chopped strand
louvers, and similar applications on cooling roving, continuous strand roving, woven
towers. FRP panels as covered by this this roving or any combination
combination thereof.
thereof. Glass
specification may also be suitable for other veils, polyester veils or any combination
uses in cooling towers. Consult thereof may be used.
manufacturers, regarding the suitability of The polyester resin may contain additives
FRP for other applications. for various purposes such as additives to
1.2 Supplementary information on glass-fiber provide low smoke density, or high flame
reinforced plastic (FRP) panels may be retardancy, catalyst residues, stabilizers,
obtained from ASTM D-3841 Standard pigments, dyes, opacifying fillers, and
Specification for Glass Fiber-Reinforced reinforcing fiber or filament. Other resin
Polyester Plastic Panels or directly from the systems such as Vinylester or coatings such
manufacturers. paint/gel coat maybe used. Consult the
1.3 Laboratory flammability tests (E84/UL- manufacturer to find out if this is required.
723) applicable to this standard should be 3.2 Attachment hardware must be a minimminimum
um
used to measure and describe the properties of 300 series stainless or per the customer
of materials, products, or assemblies in specifications.
response to heat and flame under controlled
laboratory conditions and should not be 4.0 WORKMANSHIP
used to describe or appraise the fire risk of The panels will conform to the specific dimensions of
materials, products, or assemblies under the profile being produced and shall be fully cured.
actual fire conditions. Panels shall not contain major visual cracks, pinholes,
foreign inclusions, or surface wrinkles that would
2.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS impair the proper resting of the panels, alter the
2.1 ASTM D-3841 - Standard Specifications specific dimensions of the panels, or otherwise affect
for Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester Plastic their serviceability.
Panels.
(Current Revision) 5.0 PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
2.2 ASTM D-618 - Conditioning Plastics and 5.1 SIZE (Length and Width) - T
Tolerances
olerances or
Electrical Insulation Materials for Testing. nominal length and width specified by the
2.3 ASTM D-790 - Test Method for Flexural purchaser shall be +/- 1/16 inch (1.6 mm)
Properties of Reinforced Plastics. measured in accordance with 6.2.
2.4 ASTM D-638 - Test method for Tensile 5.2 SQUARENE
SQUARENESS SS - Panels sha
shall
ll be within 1/8
Properties of Plastics inch (3.2 mm) of square when measured in
2.5 ASTM D-1494 - Test Method for diffuse accordance with 6.3.
light Transmission Factor of Reinforced 5.3 WEIGHT - Tolerance on the specified
Plastic Panels. weight of all panels shall be ñ 10% when
2.6 ASTM E-84 - Standard Test Method for determined in accordance with 6.4 except
Surface Burning Characteristics of Building for the following: Minimum panel weight
Materials. produced shall not be less than 8
2.7 ASTM E-72 - Conducting Strength Tests ounces/square foot. The following is a
on Building Materials table of the panel weights typically
specified and their associated
3.0 MATERIALS manufacturing tolerances.

3.1 The
be polyester resi
resin
n usedstyrenated
a thermosetting in the panelsand/or
shal
shalll
 Specified Minimum Maximum Note: Flame spread ratings are not an
Panel Weight Weight Weight indication of how a material will perform in
8 oz/sf 8.0 8.8 an actual fire
fire situation. They may be used
10 oz/sf 9.0 11.0 as elements of a fire risk assessment, which
12oz/sf 10.8 13.2 takes into account all of the factors that are
16 oz/sf 14.4 17.6 pertinent to an assessment
assessment of the fire hazard
of a particular end use. All fire relative
relative to
5.4 PROFILE - the pitch and depth of the FRP panels regardless of their rating will

profile
pitch ñ shall
1/16 have
inch the
per following tolerances;
foot of panel width continue
an outsidetoflame
burn source.
when continuously fed by
measured in accordance with 6.5 and depth 5.8 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
ñ 1/16 inch measured in accordance with
MECHANICAL MINIMUM ASTM
6.6. Standard cooling tower profiles are
PROPERTY VALUE TEST
listed below. There are many other profiles
available which may perform adequately. Flexural Strength 14,000 psi D-790
Please consult with the manufacturer for Flexural Modulus 0.6 x 106 psi D-790
specific application and engineering Tensile Strength 7,000 psi D-638
properties. Note: the above values reflect
4.2” x 1-1/16” manufacturer minimum. Panel load/span
5.33” x 1-3/4” performance should not be solely based on
7.2” x 1-1/2” physical properties since they cannot be
5.5 COLOR - Pane
Panell color shall be agreed
agreed upon used to predict the full scale performance of
with the purchaser and uniform throughout a panel. In-place performance is affected
affected
by other factors such as local instability,
the panel.
intensity Minor
due to differences in
the disbursement of color
glass geometric configuration of the profile, and
fibers shall not be cause for rejection. fastening requirements. In order to
determine proper loads, deflection data or
5.6 LIGHT TRANSMISSION - The nominal
maximum spans recommended, consult the
light transmission factor of opaque cooling
panel manufacturer regarding performance
tower panels shall be 5% or less (or as
of the material and fastening
agreed upon with the purchaser) when
recommendations for the intended
tested in accordance with ASTMÿD-1494.
applications use.
A light transmission value of 5% or less is
not possible in all colors. Consult the 5.9 LOAD DEFLECTION/FASTENER
manufacturer for specific light transmission PULLOVER - The load-deflection and
values of various available colors. fastener pullover performance of the
profiled FRP panel will be established by
5.7 FLAME SPREAD CLASSIFICATION -
the manufacturer using the method
The flame spread classifications shall be
described in Section 6.7 and 6.8. Panels
determined in accordance with ASTM E-84
shall be fastened to structural supports
(UL-723). The numerical flame spread using #12 fasteners or 5d roof nails with
number is used by building code bodies to
5/8" diameter (minimum) steel backed
assess the fire hazard of an installation.
installation. All
neoprene washers to resist fastener pullover
of the major building code bodies use three
and enhance
enhance water
water tightness. Spacing of
classifications that are also applicable for
the fasteners and use of larger diameter
cooling tower applications. These
washers shall be per manufacturer
classifications are as follows:
recommendations to achieve desired
Flame Spread Building Code load/span performance. Type and sspacing
pacing
Rating Category of the fastener shall reflect fastening
0 thru 25 1, I or A conditions used in testing and shall be
26 thru 75 2, II or B identified on any manufacturer published
76 thru 200 3, III or C load/span performance tables.
Products specified with a flame spread
rating of 25 or less shall be identified by the 6.0 TEST METHODS
manufacturer with an Underwriter (6.1-6.6 unchanged remainder of section
Laboratories, Inc. label, Factory Mutual revised)
label or approved testing agency.
6.1 CONDITIONING - Condition
Cond ition th
thee test 6.7 LOAD-DEFLETION PROPERTIES -
specimens in accordance with procedure A Determine these properties through full
of ASTM D-618 where conditioning is scale panel testing simulating actual project
required. design conditions.
6.2 LENGTH AND WIDTH - L Lay
ay the panel on 6.7.1 METHOD OF TESTING - Vacuum
flat, smooth surface and measure with a Chamber Method recommended for uniform
steel tape. Measure the length on the two load testing shall be per ASTM E-72 Standard
sides and the center to the nearest 1/32 inch Methods of Conducting Tests of Panels for
(0.8 mm) and average the three Building Construction (chamber method) to
measurements. Measure tthehe width
width or the determine these properties.
projected width at each end and in the 6.7.2 INSTALLATION - Install panels on the
center to the nearest 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) test frame exactly as recommended by the
and average the three measurements. manufacturer for appropriate application.
6.3 SQUARENESS - Any type of jig that has Separate panel tests are required to determine
two rails perpendicular to one another, each values for maximum positive and negative
of length at least equal to the length of the loads. Note: Panels shall be inverted for
panel in contact with the rail, may be used negative load testing
to determine squareness. Place the panel in 6.7.3 TEST RESULTS - Report type of testing
the jig so that the longest edge of the panel conducted (positive or negative loading), panel
touches the horizontal rail along its entire profile tested, panel weight in ounces per square
length, and the vertical (shorter edge) foot, panel span length, fastener type (including
touches the rail at some point along its washer size)
size) and fas
fastener
tener spacing. Record the
entire length. Measure the area bebetween
tween the panel deflection (inches per pound per square
vertical rail and the short edge of the panel foot of load), the load at failure (pounds per
at the corner opposite the one touching the square foot) and describe the type of failure and
rail to the nearest 1/32 inch (0.8 mm). extent of damage visible.
Rotate the panel 180 degrees and repeat the
6.7.4 RETEST AND REJECTION - If any
test.
premature failure occurs, the reasons shall be
6.4 WEIGHT - Weigh the panel on a scale noted in the report and steps shall be taken to
accurate to ñ 1%. Calculate the ar
area
ea on the correct the problem. Retest the specified panel
basis of length and width measurements in conditions as previously described.
accordance with
with 6.2. Calculate the weight
6.8 PANEL PERFORMANCE AND
in ounces per square foot (or kilograms per
CERTIFICATION - Manufacturer shall
square meter).
supply certification of compliance to
6.5 PITCH - The pi pitch
tch of a panel's profile is the ASTM D-3841 and provide load/span
average distance from the crest of one performance data based on the res results
ults of the
corrugation to the crest of an adjacent panel testing. Allowable load and span
corrugation, or in the case of ribbed panels, limits shall be based on the lesser of the
the distance from the center of one rib to following performance
performance criteria:
criteria: panel
the center of an
an adjacent rib. Determine the the bending stress (buckling),
(buckling), panel deflection,
deflection,
crests of the corrugation or ribs by placing a or fastener pullover.
metal straight edge crosswise on the panel
6.8.1 DESIGN PARAMETERS - Load/span
so that it touches the crests.
crests. Measure to to
tables shall be generated from the test data using
within ñ 1/16 inch per foot of panel width,
the following industry accepted design
then divide by the number of pitches to
parameters:
obtain an average pitch value.
Safety Factors:
6.6 DEPTH - the depth of a corrugatio
corrugation
n is the
2.50 for snow and/or live loads
vertical distance between the plane of the
1.88 for positive & negative wind loads
crests and the upper side of the sheet at the
bottom of a valley. Make ten depth Deflection Limits:
measurements, five at each end, to the Maximum deflection - L / 40
nearest 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) on each Where L is the panel span (inches)
specimen and average the results. between supports
6.8.2 DESIGN CONDITIONS - Panels shall be long term loads, etc.) contact manufacturer for
tested and results generated based on ambient supporting design information or conduct
design conditions.
conditions. For applications where more additional panel testing (if feasible) to include
severe design conditions exist (such as high the effects of the actual in-place conditions.
temperatures, humidity, creep due to extended
COOLING TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
PO Box 73383 Houston, Texas 77273
281.583.4087 - Fax 281.537.1721 - http://www.cti.org
July 2009 Printed in U.S.A.