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Trevor
Senior Member
Username: trevorpan

Post Number: 8
Registered: 04-2014
Posted on Monday, July 14, 2014 - 09:18 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Has anyone had the pleasure, or displeasure, of using this reinforcing in their concrete structures?

I'm considering it's use in a sea port application, however, a structural engineer has questioned it's tensile strength.

There are a few American manufacturers touting it's tensile qualities, but they mentioned it would be designed under a fiberglass calculation.

It's ability to never corrode is intriguing.
Trevor Pan
http://www.trevorpan.com
Mark Gilligan SE,
Senior Member
Username: mark_gilligan

Post Number: 671
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Monday, July 14, 2014 - 11:55 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

You should look to your structural engineer to make the decision whether this product is appropriate.

The product is not mentioned in the building codes.

Fiberglass obviously has its place but it does not provide the ductility that the building code assumes is necessary.
Trevor
Senior Member
Username: trevorpan

Post Number: 9
Registered: 04-2014
Posted on Monday, July 14, 2014 - 01:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Hi Mark,

http://www.omnicrete.com/MSDS_product_sheets/Basalt%20Rebar%20Tech%20Data%20Sheet.pdf

There are others manufacturers, but this was an easy find - so no product hooray-ing here.

Here's a spec sheet I found. To me it sounds like more, finer layers of reinforcing can overcome that issue.

As an engineer, how do you read this, in the materials ability to achieve a usable ductility?


Thank you,
Trevor Pan
http://www.trevorpan.com
Mark Gilligan SE,
Senior Member
Username: mark_gilligan

Post Number: 672
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Monday, July 14, 2014 - 11:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

The product is not mentioned in the building code thus it cannot be used except in unusual situations.

Why are you pushing this?
Trevor
Senior Member
Username: trevorpan

Post Number: 10
Registered: 04-2014
Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 - 11:17 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Well Mark,

I wouldn't say pushing it. I'm interested in new materials so that buildings last longer.

If you are in a marina, non-corrosive rebar is a dream. Not to mention less cover of concrete, allowing for more slender members. There are a lot of architectural reasons to be excited about.

For contractors, it's lighter, uses less energy to transport, easier on the workmen.

I guess the question I have is, why wouldn't a building design professional be pushing forward and be interested in reaping some of the benefits of this new material?


Trevor Pan
http://www.trevorpan.com
Ronald L. Geren, FCSI, AIA, CCS, CCCA, SCIP
Senior Member
Username: specman

Post Number: 1244
Registered: 03-2003


Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 - 11:56 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Trevor:

The building code does not prohibit new materials, but those materials that are not prescriptively addressed in the building code must be approved by the building official before they are used.

The approval process varies between jurisdictions, but the IBC requires at a minimum the submission of a research report. An ICC-ES Report is one method, but this product does not have one.

The manufacturer, if they want to market in this country, should be developing the required data necessary for the submission to building departments--designers should not have to do it themselves.
Ron Geren, FCSI, AIA, CCS, CCCA, SCIP
www.specsandcodes.com

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