Basalt is the most common rock on the planet and defined as an extrusive igneous (volcanic) rock that is low in silica content, dark in color, and comparatively rich in iron and magnesium. By way of comparison, basalt fiber is similar to carbon fiber or fiberglass, but basalt has superior mechanical properties than fiberglass, and has a significantly lower cost than carbon fiber (10 – 15X lower).

Basalt and Glass are both FRP’s and similar in price, but with some major exceptions as reinforcement:

Basanite is a proud member of the US Green Building Council, and its BasaFlex™ BFRP Rebar is very Eco-Friendly. According to ACMA, the American Composite Manufacturing Association has demonstrated that the production of BasaFlex™ BFRP Rebar has less than 1/10th the carbon footprint of steel, and basalt has the lowest environmental impact in a Life-Cycle Assessment compared with other FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) rebars. Basalt fiber is all natural and produced from stone; having no additives that are typically found in other materials such as glass fiber.

Additional LEEDs contributions are found in the transportation and handling. Steel requires 4 Truckloads vs. 1 for BasaFlex™; steel requires special equipment to unload vs. none for BasaFlex™, and 50% more time & labor is expended to receive and unload the exact same number of steel rebar compared with BasaFlex™ rebar!

BFRP is a sustainable, rust proof alternative to traditional steel reinforcement, with 25% of the weight of steel and a specific tensile strength that is 2.5 times greater (bar for bar). It’s also Impervious to attacks from alkali, chemicals or water, which causes steel to corrode (iron oxide hydrate, or rust).

Calculations for Steel’s performance are based on long existing standard (or stipulated) data, and therefore selected according to its guaranteed tensile strength (Example: Grade 60 = 60,000 psi). Calculations for BasaFlex™ are dependent upon data generated and Certified from a 3rd Party accredited laboratory. Although the engineering for FRP’s is different than steel, the mechanical data for either product is used similarly to determine the proper amount of reinforcement in a cross section of concrete. Basanite provides proprietary software that allows the design professional to directly compare the standards and calculations for BFRP use in ACI 440, with the standards and calculations outlined in ACI 318 for steel. This “Code Normalization” demonstrates the selection of BasaFlex™ can be an excellent alternative to steel, thus making it easier for a designer to select BFRP and capture all the benefits not available when selecting steel rebar.