Fibre-reinforced Rebar Slashes Weight By 75%
A high-strength alternative to traditional reinforcing bar that is a quarter of the weight of the same size steel product is being brought to Australia from South Korea by Technofast. John Bucknell, Technofast Founder and CEO, believes the South Korean Dong Shin Materials Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) rebar product typically doubles work speed or better while also imposing less load on buildings and structures. The GFRP, for which Technofast is exclusive Australian distributor, is also safer to handle and install, as well as being versatile for architects, builders, and engineers to use for precast and rebar detailing in construction, including those with electro-magnetic field issues because it curtails electro-magnetic interference. “This GFRP rebar is a proven product in service in a multitude of applications, including precasts, bridges, roads, rail, tunnel, tank, dam, dock, flood mitigation, tetrapod (four-legged) structures, factories, logistics centres, modular construction, civil works, infrastructure, tower base, and other domestic, commercial, and industrial applications, and particularly tower structures,” said Bucknell.
Technofast’s link with Korea’s high-quality manufacturing, engineering, energy, and construction sectors extends over more than 20 years, including exports of its EziTite® speed and safety-oriented hydraulic fastening systems. It is produced by one of the world’s most advanced GFRP plants into which extensive R&D and GFRP mass-production technology has been invested over the last five years to offer proven, quality, cost-efficient product. “GFRP rebar used to be more expensive than steel rebar, but new mass production technology in a new plant permits structural steel fabrication at a highly competitive price,” says Bucknell. The 5000-square-metre plant specializes in advanced technologies including GFRP, nanomaterials, secondary battery material, EMI shielding, and machine R&D, he says. “Advanced production technology has cut the time involved in manufacturing. Time also equals cost in construction project cycles, where GFRP rebar not only saves material costs, but also transport, fossil fuel pollution, labour at a time of labour shortages, and heavy equipment costs. Other benefits include compliance with the relevant standards in Asia, the US, and Europe, with guidance on specific types of projects in Australia available through Technofast, which is likely to give a boost to Australia’s structural metal product manufacturing industry.
“Our distribution of this product complements perfectly our own manufacturing and distribution of Technofast’s wide range of hydraulic fastening, safety, and maintenance ranges to a large range of established customer bases across mining plant and equipment and energy, manufacturing and maintenance, construction and civil engineering, primary processing and materials handling, water and wastewater, and ports, electrical and communication infrastructure.”, stated Bucknell. Many existing customers may also have a need for this innovative, safe, and rapidly installed product. In addition to the safety benefits relating to musculoskeletal injuries, use of this material in the applications for which it is suited reduces rebar manufacturing carbon emissions by more than half conservatively, ranging up to 75% as estimated by its smart energy manufacturers, which also produces solar energy systems. The new rebar’s sustainability credentials include reduction of waste caused by traditional reinforced concrete’s vulnerability in some applications to salt, moisture, chemicals, and factors that can produce waste due to frequent maintenance.
