Report of Discussion Group on Polymeric Materials

Abstract

The members of the group agreed upon the following headings as discussion topics:

• 1. Requirements

• 2. Environmental influences

• 3. Properties of materials (the materials used in the laboratory as well as the materials in industrial products)

• 4. Testing (including long term tests, accelerated tests and material control tests) and

• 5. Methodsof service life prediction (including design).

The group also decided to distinguish, in the discussions, the different functional elements comprising buildings and structures, including non-structural elements, protective elements and structural elements. Further, the discussion included new buildings and components, as well as existing buildings and components and included wooden components, even though wood may not usually be regarded as a polymeric material.