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Materials testing company  (Port Talbot, U.K.) announces that it has solidified its position as an independent U.K. laboratory that offers accredited composite rebar testing in Europe thanks to the flexible scope of its UKAS accreditation.

With the recent introduction of a CE marking program for composite rebar, accredited independent testing is now a critical requirement. Leveraging its combination of composite and rebar testing facilities on a single site, R-Tech says it has developed a robust testing capability tailored to the growing demands of the construction sector.

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Composite materials are increasingly vital in modern construction, and composite rebar is gaining traction over more traditional steel rebar due to its lightweight, high-strength and corrosion-resistant properties. Ensuring composite rebar meets the stringent performance requirements of these modern construction projects requires precise and reliable mechanical testing.

Over the past year, R-Tech Materials has developed a comprehensive suite of testing capabilities, meeting key industry standards such as ISO 10406-1, ASTM D8505 and ASTM D7205. With state-of-the-art tensile machines ranging from 10 newtons to 1,500 kilonewtons, the facility can accommodate bar sizes up to 32 millimeters in diameter.

R-Tech’s range of accredited composite rebar testing services include:

• Tensile testing: Evaluating the strength and performance of rebar under tension.
• Bond strength (pull-out testing): Assessing how effectively rebar adheres to concrete structures.
• Transverse shear testing: Measuring the material’s resistance to shear forces.
• Flexural tensile properties: Determining the material’s ability to withstand bending and flexural loads.

In addition to these core mechanical tests, R-Tech’s laboratory offers physical and thermal analysis, including cross-sectional property evaluation, coefficient of thermal expansion measurement and volume fraction determination, further supporting the composite rebar industry with essential material insights.

Beyond composite rebar, R-Tech specializes in testing materials used to strengthen critical infrastructure. With the increasing loads on motorway bridges due to rising traffic levels and the heavier weight of electric vehicles, many bridges require reinforcement to maintain safety and structural integrity. This reinforcement can be achieved by integrating composite rods or overwrapping carbon fiber prepreg onto concrete structures. R-Tech says its expertise extends to these advanced applications, ensuring high safety, quality and reliability standards.