Light, strong, non-corrosive and one hundred percent recyclable

Basalt, the most durable alternative to steel reinforcement

We know basalt as the distinctive hexagonal black rock in dikes or breakwaters. It is used there because of its high density and strength. Because of these properties, more applications can be imagined. Reinforcing bars for concrete is one such promising application.

Reinforcement in concrete is intended to absorb tensile stresses. Often steel is used. However, steel may corrode in time, causing it to lose its constructive strength. Basalt fiber reinforcement is insensitive to corrosion. This ensures that it can be applied in all environments and under all circumstances. Vulkan Europe of Gouda is a European supplier of this form of reinforcement, both in fibers and bars. The company indicates that the product has a number of advantages, especially where the durability of the material is concerned. 

Fully recyclable

Basalt is a sustainable building material. Imperial College London investigated the LCA of steel and basalt fiber rebar. It concluded that total CO2 emissions from steel rebar are over 170% higher than those from basalt fiber rebar. However, that is only part of the story. Construction products are being recycled more and more, and demountable construction is also becoming more common. Basalt is solidified lava and thus stony. It therefore does not need to be separated when granulated. Because the epoxy binder in the basalt fiber reinforcement makes up only a few percent of the concrete product, the reinforcement can be granulated along with it to serve again as a basis in the production process of new concrete. Basalt fiber reinforcement is thus 100 percent recyclable.

On the Maasvlakte, concrete reinforced with basalt will soon be processed as a floor over which electric vehicles transport goods across a site fully independently and automatically. Contractor Dura Vermeer chose this new form of reinforcement because basalt is non-conductive and does not interfere with the signals needed for the fully automatic transports to take place. In addition to robotic floors, the non-conductive reinforcement also lends itself to floors in laboratories or operating rooms. A study by BAM in collaboration with ProRail is currently underway to deploy basalt fiber reinforcement to reduce or prevent leakage current within the rail network. 

Leaner construction

As an alternative to Portland cement, much research and testing is being done on various types of geopolymer concrete. Because the alkaline environment does not affect basalt, basalt fiber reinforcement is now being looked at as an alternative to steel in these new types of concrete. As mentioned, basalt fiber does not corrode. Because corrosion coverage is not necessary, the use of basalt fiber reinforcement allows for leaner construction. Finally, this reinforcement is four times lighter than steel and therefore more Arbo-friendly to process, which also reduces the costs of labor and transportation.

Basalt is a natural material that is widely available worldwide and can be easily mined as a surface rock. Basalt is lava that has solidified rapidly in which shrinkage causes the typical columnar shape. When this solidification is slowed down, very thin elastic fibers can be drawn with a tensile strength twice that of steel (3,000 MPa). Passing the fibers through a bath of epoxy resin produces reinforcing bars. An additional strand of fibers is wrapped around the outside of the bar. This increases the surface area and promotes adhesion.

Inexhaustible

The environmental performance of buildings (MPG) is already mandatory and is being tightened. The MKI is not yet mandatory, but the government is now looking at that too. It forces entrepreneurs and clients in the construction industry to take a closer look at their use of materials. In this transition phase towards a sustainable and circular economy, a product like basalt fiber reinforcement is interesting because of its favorable environmental profile. The base material is inexhaustibly available and can be easily extracted. Basalt fiber as a product has a low CO2 footprint, it is light and strong, slimmer construction can be achieved, it does not wear out and can be 100 percent recycled. Consequently, the organization Betonakkoord, which aims for a permanent CO2 reduction in the concrete industry and transport chain, identified Vulkan Europe as one of the frontrunners in making concrete more sustainable. In short, basalt fiber reinforcement is an ideal product for a sustainable building future.