Fiber reinforced polymer composites (FRPC) have gain rapid interest as light-weight and corrosion-resistant materials for various applications in marine infrastructure. Despite their advantages, FRPCs are still susceptible to other environmental factors present in the marine environment and manufactured mostly from non-renewable materials. This greatly affects the overall economic and environmental sustainability of such components. To determine the long-term suitability of various FRPCs for use in marine environments, this paper provides a holistic comparison of the performance of 16 FRPCs (four fiber types: glass, carbon, natural, basalt; and four polymer resins: epoxy, polyester, vinylester, thermoplastic) not only from a technical, but also from an economic, environmental and resource perspective. The resulting ranking not only assesses each material’s long-term potential, but also provides a detailed overview of individual strengths and weaknesses. Although ranked the lowest of all materials, the partial renewability of the natural fiber composites makes them an interesting material in the longer term. Therefore, we use the framework to evaluate a number of approaches aimed at improving the overall performance of these composites.
In the coming decades humanity will be confronted with a number of complex challenges affecting the prosperity and livelihood of billions of people around the globe. The root of these challenges lies in the downright explosion in global population over the last decades combined with a staggering increase of urbanization rates leading to an unprecedented level of demand for food, water, materials and space. Consequently, growing scarcity of essential resources are an ever increasing threat towards global peace and stability. This conflict potential is exacerbated by global warming and the associated sea level rise, which can once again be traced back to the rapidly growing demand for energy and food of the world's economies. In this paper we develop a comprehensive chain of cause and effect surrounding these global developments. Furthermore, we discuss how floating infrastructure, through its application to renewable energy generation, food production, flood protection and even urban expansion, is capable of decoupling multiple linkages in the chain, thus presenting itself as a promising mid-to long-term strategy for addressing these global challenges.
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