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CurvedNFR is a CRAFT RTD project, funded by the European Commission Framework 5 GROWTH Programme under contract number G1ST-CT-2002-50365.
The project aims to develop materials, methodology and manufacturing process for a low-cost, curved fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) rebar. The project partnership includes 8 specialist SME and 3 RTD organisations across 6 European countries. The project will run for 2 years and is worth €926000.
 Concrete is the principal material used in the construction of most buildings and bridges. In order to withstand the in-service loads, reinforcement bars (rebars) must be embedded in the concrete. Steel rebars have been proven over many years to be a very suitable reinforcement for concrete. However, in situations where the service environment is particularly severe, steel rebars can corrode (right). Corrosion of steel rebars may lead to the weakening and ultimate collapse of the structure (left, Concorde pedestrian bridge, North Carolina, USA). The annual cost of repair and maintenance of the European infrastructure, due to corrosion, is over €30 billion.
 Low-corrosion rebars such as galvanised, epoxy coated or stainless steel have limited effectiveness in high-chloride environments and can be prohibitively expensive. FRP rebars can combat the problems of corrosion, but are currently only available in straight sections. The majority of applications require curved sections to take account of changes in profile and the need to reinforce the beam in shear. The development of curved FRP rebars would facilitate their widespread use.
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