ACI committee 440 is the most authoritative and prolific consensus standards body involved in the publication of design guidelines for the use of FRP bars.
Hughes Brothers has been an active participant in 440 committee activities since 1994. Committee 440 documents are based on research performed world-wide.
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Design with Aslan 100 GFRP bars is dictated by ACI 440.1R-06, "Guide for the Design and Construction of Structural Concrete Reinforced with FRP Bars".

This third iteration document, can be purchased from the ACI International bookstore (linked by this text) $70.50 for non-members and $43.00 for ACI members. This document and all other ACI 440 publications are included in the "Manual of Concrete Practice" which many engineering firms obtain.
Material properties of FRP bars are validated with a complete set of test methods from ACI. Document 440.3R-04 "Guide Test Methods for Fiber Reinforced Polymers for Reinforcing or Strengthening Concrete Structures".

ASTM committee D30 is transitioning the 440 test methods to individual ASTM test methods such as ASTM D7205 "Tensile Properties of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composite Bars".
In 2008, ACI committee 440 published "Specifications for Construction with Fiber Reinforced Polymer Reinforcing Bars" document 440.5-08. Written in mandatory language, this document offers guidance to the contractor and site inspector describing limitations and allowances for the delivery storage, handling, fabrication, bar placement, field repair and cutting and concrete placement for projects incorporating the use of Aslan FRP bars.
To enable an owner, such as a Ministry of Transportation or Department of Transportation to utilize standard design methods for bridges or buildings, verified properties with consensus test methods, and procure FRP bars from multiple sources, Hughes Brothers was instrumental in the publication of "Procurement Standards" by the ISIS Network in Canada. The ISIS document "Specifications for Product Certification of Fibre Reinforced Polymers as Internal Reinforcement in Concrete Structures", offers protocols by which owners may "pre-qualify" FRP bar systems for bidding projects and defines the quality assurance testing, reporting and criteria for the ultimate supply of the FRP bars.

This important document helps the owner ensure a high caliber FRP bar is ultimately used on their project.
In Canada, the use of FRP bars in buildings is dictated by the code CSA S806-02.

The Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code, CSA-S6-06, adopted provisions for the use of FRP bars in 2006. As a result of this, many bridges and parapets in Canada are being built using FRP bars including some very substantial structures such as the Floodway Bridge pictured below.
In Europe, FIB Task Group 9.3 has published a technical report "Bulletin 40", which is a "state of the art" of FRP reinforcement in RC structures.
Work is under way on provisions for FRP bars in EuroCode 2 format.

In Italy, design guidance has been published by the Italian CNR : "Istruzioni, per la Progettazione, l’Esecuzione ed il Controllo, di Strutture di Calcestruzzo, armato con Barre di, Materiale Composito Fibrorinforzato".
And draft design guidance by the Italian Highways Agency, ANAS.
In May 2008 at the annual AASHTO meeting on Bridges and Structures in Omaha, NE, AASTHO approved for publication based on the work of committee T-6, "AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Guide Specifications for GFRP Reinforced Concrete Decks and Traffic Railings including a Commentary".
To aid the designer unfamiliar with the various FRP design guides and standards, Hughes Brothers has engineering assistance available in house. Our staff of engineers are intimately involved in the authorship of the various design guides, standard and test methods and are available to help with your specific project.
We will NOT stamp designs, rather we are here to "compliment" your efforts for a successful implementation of Aslan FRP bars.
Using industry standard consensus design methods, we will furnish you with a design proposal based on the inputs you provide us. Hughes Brothers will not perform any structural analysis and our scope is limited to design advice only to the engineer of record concerning implementation of Aslan FRP bars.

To assist you, our staff needs a clear understanding of:
- Geometry of the concrete member -- electronic or CAD drawings are most helpful
- Moment and shear forces the member is subject to
- Concrete strengths

email Hughes Bros. engineering staff