Top-Crete Scope

One of the current challenges of the construction sector is to design and build highly durable structures with high mechanical performance so they can reach a longer lifetime in particular in aggressive environments and contribute to sustainability and circular economy.

Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) embedded reinforcement constitutes a competitive alternative to conventional steel reinforcement because of its low susceptibility to corrosion, high-strength, and low life-cycle cost.

By replacing the thermosetting resin by a thermoplastic resin, rebars can be bent after pultrusion, resulting in a reduction of construction lead times. Thermoplastic (TP) FRP rebars show similar or even better mechanical and durability properties, and a reduced bent radius (similar to that of steel rebars). The thermoplastic resin makes rebar recyclable, contributing to sustainability and boosting circular economy.

The TOP-Crete project will develop the first-ever embedded thermoplastic-based FRP reinforcement for reinforced concrete (RC) structures designed for recyclability and for an optimal structural performance-to-resource use ratio. The TOP-Crete project will deal with the improvement and optimization of the composition, production and bending process focusing on recyclability of bars.