Products & Systems / Structural profiles
Pultruded GRP structural profiles
GRP profiles.
Engineered structural sections.
Pultruded GRP profiles for structural frames, platforms and fabricated access systems: I-beams, channels, angles, box sections, round tubes and flat bars. Compare section families, then coordinate material grade, loads, deflection and connections for your project.
Section selection
Choose the shape.
Design its role in the structure.
Explore i & H beams
For primary framing and spanning members. Review the bending axis, lateral restraint, shear and bearing at supports.
Explore channels
For edge members, secondary framing and connection arrangements. Check eccentric loading and torsional restraint.
Explore angles
For perimeter supports, bracing and connection components. Establish the connected leg, load path and bolt arrangement.
Explore box sections
For posts, rails and closed-section framing. Account for wall thickness, local bearing and access for bolted joints.
Explore round tubes
For tubular components within an agreed assembly. Specify outside diameter, wall thickness and connection geometry.
Explore flat sections
For packing, plates or fabricated components where specified. Confirm the product form and properties for the intended duty.
Section silhouettes identify the families; they are not dimensioned fabrication details. Confirm the available size, resin and grade for the selected profile.
GRP profile supply and preparation
Order lengths, prepared parts
or a fabricated assembly.
State the level of preparation you need when requesting a quotation. A section list, a cutting schedule and a complete structural package require different information and deliverables.
Specified profile lengths
List section shape, dimensions, wall thickness, grade or resin requirement, lengths and quantities. Include the delivery location and required date. Confirm available sizes, stock status and lead times for the actual specification.
Cut and drilled components
Add component references, finished lengths, hole positions, tolerances and any specified edge treatment. Supply the accepted drawing revision and agree labelling and packing so each part can be matched to its position on site.
Fabricated frames and access structures
Include the assembly drawings, connections, bracing, decking and guarding requirements. Agree transportable module sizes and whether the scope ends at delivery or includes installation and handover.
Engineering inputs
Strength is only
part of the brief.
A member can be strong enough and still be too flexible, insufficiently restrained or poorly connected. Review the complete assembly and its service conditions.
Loads, spans & movement
State permanent, imposed and maintenance loads, load combinations, clear spans and permitted movement. Include equipment reactions and concentrated loads at their actual positions. Deflection limits belong to the use of the assembly.
Direction-dependent properties
Pultruded profiles have different properties along and across the fibre direction. Use the relevant longitudinal, transverse and shear values for the grade and section, particularly around joints and local bearing.
Stability & restraint
Check overall buckling, local instability and lateral or torsional restraint where relevant. Show how bracing connects and how it transfers forces through the frame to the supporting structure.
Time, temperature & exposure
Consider sustained loads, creep, temperature and the chemical environment in the design basis. Specify the exposure conditions rather than assuming that one resin is suitable everywhere.
Supports & anchors
Resolve support reactions, base plates, substrate condition and anchor selection together. Agree any substrate investigation or site testing needed to support the fixing design.
Access & future replacement
Coordinate member positions with working clearances, removable panels and services. Make inspection and future component replacement part of the arrangement, not an afterthought.
Material specification
Specify the profile.
Verify the design basis.
BS EN 13706 addresses pultruded profile specifications. A profile designation or material grade does not, on its own, demonstrate the capacity of a complete structure.
Identify the product designation and the material information attached to the supplied section.
Request the applicable testing and general-requirement evidence for the proposed profile.
Specify the required grade and properties, and confirm the supporting manufacturer documentation.
Agree the structural design method, load basis, serviceability limits and connection checks for the application. Fire, chemical and electrical requirements need their own applicable evidence.
Fabrication & assembly
The joint belongs
in the design.
Explore bolted connections
Define hole size, edge distances, bolt spacing, bearing and clamping requirements. Check local behaviour of the profile walls and the need for sleeves or load-spreading components.
Cutting & drilling
Use the approved fabrication information, component identification and specified edge treatment. Resolve altered holes or site cuts through the design process.
Interface materials
Select bolts, plates and anchors for the exposure. Consider the entire connection when assessing corrosion, thermal or electrical performance.
Installation & handover
Record the agreed arrangement, inspection points and permitted use. Provide the receiving team with the component and maintenance information needed to manage the structure.
Technical support
From section choice
to a coordinated package.
Send the arrangement and design requirements. Establish the profile schedule and connection details with the project team before fabrication.
Profile range information
Review the existing range sheet for section families and indicative sizes. Confirm the current product designation, dimensions and availability for the project.
View profile range sheet (PDF) →Project design information
Request current section properties, applicable material evidence and load information for your design. Include spans, restraints, connection locations and environmental conditions.
Request the technical information →Connected systems
See where the profiles work.
Platforms & walkways
Frames, working decks, bracing and access planned as a complete assembly.
Explore →GRP grating & flooring
Select the walking surface alongside the support and restraint arrangement.
Explore →SafeClamp® handrail
Coordinate guarding, posts and interfaces with the supporting structure.
Explore →Already have an approved materials specification? Explore the GRP Express buying route →
Questions before specification.
Can a GRP beam replace steel at the same size?
Do not select by external dimensions alone. Compare stiffness, strength, stability, connection behaviour and environmental requirements within the agreed design method.
Is every profile the same material grade?
Specify the grade and resin for the actual supply. Obtain the relevant properties and evidence; appearance and colour do not establish the material designation.
Do load tables cover the complete frame?
A member table applies only to its stated loading and support assumptions. It does not establish the capacity of joints, bracing, anchors or the whole assembly.
Can Vital work from our drawings?
Send the current plans, sections and design requirements. Mark the project stage, required deliverables and unresolved interfaces so the scope of review can be agreed.
Put the structure
into focus.
Share your layout, loads and site conditions. Ask Vital to review the profile arrangement and the information needed to progress the design.