Yes, we do have other rebar sizes. We have rebars starting from 4mm in diameter up to 32 mm diameter with 2 mm increments. Please refer to the table below with the other rebar dimension and corresponding product codes.

 

The installation process using the TXON GRP™ rebar is very similar to the one for steel rebars. Further details and specified tolerances can be referred to in the following ACI code - “Specification for Construction with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Reinforcing Bars” - ACI 440.5M-08.

Bond between the FRP reinforcement and concrete is developed through a mechanism similar to that of steel reinforcement and depends on FRP type, elastic modulus, surface deformation, and the shape of the FRP bar. The development length required when using FRP reinforcement will be either equal to or lower than that required when using steel rebar. The specific development length equation for FRP rebars can be found in ACI 440 1R-15 - Guide for the Design and Construction of Structural Concrete Reinforced with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Bars.

No, fortunately there has not been much disruption in our business due to the pandemic. Because of that our prices (of material) have not changed much compared to pre-pandemic levels. Hence, our buyers have not been impacted at all due to the pandemic and the subsequent rise in inflation rates. It should be noted that shipping costs are erratic at this time and that additional cost can impact the price. We try to maximize our shipments to spread the cost across a full load and hence reducing the impact of high shipment rates to our buyers.

There can be a number of areas in which cost savings can be achieved when using TXON GRP™ rebars. Firstly, since TXON GRP™ rebars have a very high strength-to-weight ratio, the overall dead load of the structure will decrease. (The weight of TXON GRP™ rebar will vary from 1/4th to 1/6th of the weight of equivalent steel rebar),lowering the cost of the structure.

Secondly, because of its light weight, fewer people are required for fabricating the rebar cage and other related construction work (such as delivery and cargo weight limitations). A potential for further reduction in labor expense due to low weight is a very attractive feature.

Thirdly, unlike steel rebars, FRP rebars (TXON GRP™ rebars) are corrosion resistant and hence can be stored in virtually any location without any risk of damage due to the environment (e.g. snow and rain. Steel rebars are at risk of rusting and corroding and in most cases, they must be sandblasted or treated if stored for a long time – which invariably adds additional cost. Such problems are not encountered with TXON GRP™ rebars. With high corrosion resistance, TXON GRP™ allows the concrete cover (a.k.a. corrosion cap) to be kept at minimum (less than 6 mm) and hence the overall dimension of the structure can be reduced, resulting in potentially significant cost savings. And finally, since there is virtually no chance of damage due to corrosion, the maintenance cost for the structure is reduced and the service life of the structure increases.

Though the cost of TXON GRP™ rebars are very similar to that of equivalent steel rebars, the advantages of TXON GRP™ compared to steel rebar will result in significant direct, and indirect cost savings.

The Basalt fibre roving, from which the TXON GRP™ rebars are made, are manufactured by melting quarried basalt rock, which is then passed through a fine nozzle to produce fine, attenuated filaments. The process does not use any other additive and the production is in a single step process. Hence, the process leaves a very minimum carbon footprint (energy to melt the rock). The product itself also does not contain any carbon. When compared to TXON GRP™, black steel has a much higher embodied carbon with about 1.85 tonne of CO2 emission for every ton of steel produced. The embodied carbon of TXON GRP™ rebar is negligible when compared to steel.

As of now we did not find much use of this product in high-rise buildings. However, we are currently in final stage talks with a few companies regarding the use of these rebars in high-rise buildings. The codal provision given in ACI 440 1R-15 can be effectively used to design high rise structure using FRP rebars (TXON GRP™ rebars). We can also assist you if you have any specific questions regarding the design of high-rise buildings.

The lower elastic modulus for TXON GRP™ rebars will not have any significant effect on the application compared to steel. The only effect may be a slightly higher deflection value than that of steel for similarly applied load at the elastic range. Since the tensile strength of TXON GRP™ rebars is more than twice (2X) that of steel, for the same diameter rebar it will take up more than twice the load taken by steel to reach that tensile strength and hence the TXON GRP™ rebars will have a much higher elastic range and thereby perform better than the steel rebars at higher loads.

Even though the failure mode observed in the TXON GRP™ rebars shows that it is less ductile, the design methodology developed in the ACI code (ACI 440 1R-15) is such that the failure mode is never reached in the life time of the structure when designed as per the code. Please refer to ACI 440 1R-15 - Guide for the Design and Construction of Structural Concrete Reinforced with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Bars for additional information regarding the design of structure using FRP rebars.

Basalt is the most common rock on earth and hence can be found in abundance. TXON GRP™ products are manufactured by melting this quarried basalt rock (Be mindful that not all basalt rock is the same). The molten rock is then passed through a special nozzle to produce fine filaments. The process does not use any other additive and the production is in a single step process. Hence, it is much cheaper than other fabrics. The cost of basalt fiber fabric (TXON GRP™ products) is about one-fifth of that of similar carbon fiber fabric products. It is also a greener product compared to carbon fiber fabrics.

It is also found in research studies that basalt fibre fabrics have a higher tensile strength than E-glass fibre fabrics. It also has a greater failure strain than carbon fibre fabrics. However, basalt fiber fabrics have a lower modulus of elasticity than carbon fiber fabrics, but that can be compensated with using more amount of the material.

TXON GRP™ products provide excellent resistance to chemical attack, impact load, and fire. Another big advantage of using basalt fibre fabric is its non-corrosive behavior. Hence, basalt fiber fabric products (TXON GRP™) can be used for shoreline structures and can prevent corrosion of these structures during winters in colder regions where de-icing salts are extensively used.

TXON GRP™ fabric also have a very high thermal stability which is better than both carbon and glass fiber fabrics. Additionally, TXON GRP™ products have a high weathering resistance and are better than glass fiber fabrics, even though it may be weaker than carbon fiber fabrics.

A lower cost, and the other advantages of BFRP (TXON GRP™) has been gaining popularity with researchers in recent years as a viable alternative for rehabilitation and construction.

As mentioned earlier, TXON GRP products are manufactured by melting quarried basalt rock, in a single step process without the use of any additive. Hence, the carbon footprint of the product is very low; especially when compared to other building materials such as steel and concrete. This is also a recyclable product and does not contribute to construction waste as it is a natural product. It is noted in previous research studies that in terms of ozone depletion, and human toxicity, the use of BFRP rebars (TXON GRP™) showed an average reduction of 21% and 78%, respectively and a 50% reduction in energy consumption. Hence, these TXON GRP™ products can be classified as green materials.

Since, the TXON GRP™ products are made with Basalt, which is a common rock found on earth, and since no additive is added to it during the manufacturing process, TXON GRP™ products can be easily recycled and made into new basalt products or used when recycling concrete. Hence, these products do not contribute to the increasing construction waste, which is a major issue in recent times, and thereby it is considered as a Circle Economy product

FRP rebars (TXON GRP™ rebars) are corrosion resistant, unlike steel rebars, which have a very high risk of rusting and subsequent damage from corrosion. Since with TXON GRP™ products there is very little chance of damage due to corrosion, the maintenance cost for the structure goes down and the service life of the structure increases when used in place of materials such as steel. The service life of a structure also depends on many other factors such as environmental conditions, loads applied, the kind of FRP’s used, and the kind of epoxy resins used. TXON GRP™ products, which are tested extensively in an ISO certified lab are found to be more durable than steel when used in combination with our recommended epoxy and have been shown to increase the service life of the structure.