NEx Webinar (Nov 5): Designing Concrete Structures Reinforced with Higher-Modulus GFRP Bars using ACI CODE-440.11-22

NEx Webinar (November 5): Designing Concrete Structures Reinforced with Higher-Modulus GFRP Bars using ACI CODE-440.11-22
Date: November 5, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET
Speaker: Vicki L. Brown, PhD, PE, FACI — Emeritus Professor, Widener University
Continuing Education Credit: 1.0 PDH / 0.10 CEU (through ACI University)

Join us for a live session with Dr. Vicki L. Brown, ACI Fellow and chair of the subcommittee responsible for ACI CODE-440.11-22, as she explains how higher-modulus GFRP bars can be designed within current code provisions.
This webinar will address the implications of two different ASTM material standards, clarify how higher-modulus GFRP bars fit into ACI design requirements, and demonstrate when the use of higher-modulus reinforcement can be advantageous in structural applications.

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Description

Fiber-reinforced polymer materials are reshaping reinforced concrete construction by providing corrosion resistance, electromagnetic transparency, sustainable material use, and ease of handling. ACI CODE-440.11-22 establishes the minimum design requirements for GFRP-reinforced concrete structures and references ASTM D7957-22, which requires a minimum mean tensile modulus of 6,500 ksi.

A newer standard, ASTM D8505-23, specifies a minimum tensile modulus of 8,700 ksi and reflects what many manufacturers are now producing. Because only one of these standards is currently accepted by ACI CODE-440.11, engineers have asked how to design code-compliant structures using higher-modulus GFRP bars.

This session will answer that question, illustrating real engineering scenarios where higher-modulus bars affect design assumptions, serviceability requirements, and structural behavior.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize the advantages of using higher-modulus GFRP bars to meet the requirements of ACI CODE-440.11.

2. Identify higher-modulus GFRP bars that meet the specification and performance characteristics required by ACI CODE-440.11.

3. Demonstrate the differences between lower-modulus and higher-modulus bars across several design applications.

4. Understand how higher-modulus bars affect practical applications, challenges, and opportunities for use of GFRP-reinforced concrete in construction.

Speaker Bio

Vicki L. Brown, PhD, PE, FACI
Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering, Widener University

Dr. Brown is an expert in the application of high-performance FRP composites for reinforced concrete structures. An ACI Fellow, she chaired the 440H subcommittee responsible for the development of ACI 440.11-22 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete Reinforced with GFRP Bars, and is the founding Chair of ACI Committee 440C on code requirements for concrete reinforced with FRP bars.

She received the ACI Education Award in 2024 and serves as an Associate Editor for the ASCE Journal of Composites in Construction. Dr. Brown is a licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.