First technical approval for fiberglass reinforcing bar in Germany
The German approval body for construction products and types of construction (DIBt) recently approved the straight Schöck ComBar fiberglass reinforcing bar in nominal diameters of 8, 12, 16, 20, and 25 millimeters. With that, Schöck claims to be the only manufacturer on the German market to possess a national technical approval for fiberglass reinforcing bars.
Bearing capacity increased by 14 %
For the approval, new research results were considered, among other criteria, leading to an increase in bearing capacity for structural members by 14 % without requiring design shear reinforcement. In addition, higher design values are achieved in areas of moderate bond.
The extended approval enables designers to use fiberglass reinforcement with more ease and added assurance. Complex procedures for obtaining an individual approval are no longer necessary, as, for example, is otherwise required for trackwork or for the construction of transformer substations.
At a tensile strength of more than 1,000 N/mm² and a modulus of elasticity higher than 60,000 N/mm², Schöck ComBar possesses similar bonding properties as reinforcing steel. Fiberglass reinforcement is, moreover, corrosion-resistant and suitable for use in all XC, XD and XS exposure classes, is not magnetizable and not electrically conductive.