Fiberglass Rebar

Mike Simon | March 28, 2022

Why Rebar in Concrete

As a slab of concrete bends one face is compressed, and the other is stretched (under tension). Concrete is very strong under compression, but is not nearly as strong under tension. To overcome this weakness reinforcing bar (rebar) is added in the concrete. Rebar is used in concrete to add tensile strength making stronger building materials. Steel has high tensile strength and is affordable making it the rebar material of choice. Steel is also easy to work, albeit it is heavy and difficult to cut.

Steel Rusts

The challenge with steel as rebar material has been the fact it rusts. As steel corrodes it expands causing the concrete to spall. To combat this rebar is generally set deeper into the concrete (limiting its effectiveness) and the concrete mix is adjusted to inhibit corrosion and resist spalling.

Concrete spalling caused by rusting reinforcement bars.

Steel Alternatives

Several steel rebar alternatives have been proposed to address this critical challenge. Things like carbon fiber, fiberglass, and basalt are all commercial alternatives. However, they have been limited until recently because their benefits did not outweigh their costs– until recently. With steel prices escalating quickly and fiberglass production costs coming down fiberglass rebar is now available at a price below that of steel.

Why Fiberglass Rebar

Corrosion-proof Reinforcement: Zero rust, zero spalling, eliminates costly rehabilitation and maintenance.
100+ Years Service Life: Engineered to extend the service life of your reinforced concrete for centuries.
Quick & Simple Installation: Up to 50% labor savings compared to installing traditional steel rebar.
Transportation Savings: Weighs 25% the weight of steel rebar. One truck of MST-BAR® replaces four truckloads of steel.
High Performance in All Climates: Stronger reinforcement in freeze-thaw climates and guaranteed longevity in coastal regions.
No Waterproofing: Eliminates need for costly waterproofing agents and epoxy coating necessitated by rust-prone steel rebar.
MST-BAR® BEND Technology: Fastest turnaround time for factory fabricated bent bars. Our proprietary corrugated sleeve achieves any bend possible.
Thermal Insulator: Increase your structure’s energy efficiency.
Nonconductive & Nonferrous: Ideal for projects with electro-magnetic sensitivity.
High Chemical Resistance: High alkaline resistance. Impervious to de-icing salts and other harsh chemical attacks.
Environmental Sustainability: Environmentally friendly manufacturing leaves a fraction of the carbon footprint left by steel mills.
High Fatigue Resistance: 20X higher resistance under cyclical loading compared to traditional steel rebar.