Sources: American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, Mich.; CP staff
The American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA), along with the American Concrete Institute and recently chartered NEx: An ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials, will develop a plant certification program for concrete-grade, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite bars and tendons. ACMA, ACI, and NEx agree the program should a) comply with applicable American National Standards Institute, International Organization for Standardization or American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials requirements for material or product plant certification; and, b) emerge under the auspices of a standards developing organization. Stakeholders aim to accelerate FRP bar and tendon adoption and use.
“This endeavor challenges our industry to certify manufacturers to standards which future nonmetallic building materials can abide,” says NEx Executive Director Jerzy Zemajtis. “NEx, ACMA and ACI are committed to improving protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the public at large and to facilitate market needs. This agreement is a major step in that direction.”
“The plant certification program will expand opportunities for composites and establish clear standards for producers across the industry,” adds ACMA CEO Cindy Squires, Esq.
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