What GFRP rebar changed on Brazilian jobsites — and what it means for Panama

// GFRP worldwide · Jobsite cases · Brazil
Less weight, less time, less corrosion:
what Brazilian jobsites learned.
An analysis of the cases reported by JEC Composites, read from Panama's perspective.

Main image: social housing under construction in Campo Grande, Brazil — photo by WTF Formwork, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped.

The industry publication JEC Composites ran a feature on the experience of Brazilian engineer Sergio Rabay, of Amira Engenharia, with glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebar on real projects. The piece starts from a simple observation: GFRP is already used in concrete structures in several markets, but adoption in Brazil is still limited — very much like the situation in Panama and Central America.

Below we summarise, in our own words, the data that was published and look at it through what we see every day in Panamanian construction: tropical climate, salty air, expensive logistics and steel corrosion that shortens the life of buildings, floors and coastal works. We recommend reading the original article on JEC Composites .

Please note: the projects described belong to Amira Engenharia and engineer Sergio Rabay; they are not ISOThermal projects and did not necessarily use FiberoX products. Neither JEC Composites nor the people or companies mentioned are affiliated with ISOThermal or endorse our products. Figures are as reported by the source.
~15 %
less time in each structural phase (housing, São Paulo)
~80 %
of the rebar assemblies produced by one trained worker
19
corroded columns rehabilitated with jacketing and GFRP
−18%
estimated cost after redesigning the whole structure*

Figures as reported by JEC Composites. *Combined effect of the structural redesign and the use of GFRP.

Case 1 — Housing in São Paulo: the job moves faster

Paneles de malla GFRP FiberoX
FiberoX GFRP mesh panels ready for placement (photo: FRP technologies, manufacturer of FiberoX).
Case 1 · 2008
Walls and raft foundation of a housing development
  • Rabay's first direct experience with GFRP, in the state of São Paulo.
  • He optimised the mesh used in the walls and in the raft foundation.
  • The bars were cut and assembled on site; one trained worker produced about 80% of the required assemblies.
  • Each structural phase was shortened by roughly 15%.
Why it matters in Panama: skilled labour is scarce and transport makes every project more expensive. A bar that weighs about a quarter of steel is carried by hand, cut with simple tools and reduces cranes, freight and assembly time — exactly where jobsites lose the most.

Case 2 — A 1977 building: rehabilitating corroded columns

Malla GFRP FiberoX en el borde de una losa
FiberoX GFRP mesh at the edge of a bridge slab, Slovakia (our own photo, illustrative; not from the Brazilian projects).
Case 2 · Rehabilitation
19 columns jacketed with high-performance concrete and GFRP
  • Residential building from 1977 whose column reinforcement had been badly damaged by corrosion.
  • Solution: jacket 19 columns with 7 cm of high-performance concrete reinforced with GFRP.
  • The original, oversized sections keep carrying compression; the new reinforcement takes the bending stresses.
Why it matters in Panama: steel corrosion is the main cause of building deterioration in coastal and humid areas. Repairing with reinforcement that cannot rust avoids repairing the same element again a few years later — the life-cycle logic we explain in LCA, LCC and TCO.

Case 3 — Designing for GFRP from day one

Edificio en construcción en Recife, Brasil
Building under construction in Recife, Brazil — photo by herval, licensed CC BY 2.0, cropped (illustrative).
Case 3 · Redesign
Commercial building for medical use (not yet built)
  • The structural redesign cut the number of columns from 39 to 19.
  • The original foundation system was replaced by a raft foundation.
  • The estimated cost went from US$655,000 to US$538,000 — 18% less.
Why it matters in Panama: the biggest saving does not come from swapping bar for bar, but from the engineer designing with the material in mind from the concept stage.
Reading the number honestly: the 18% is the combined result of a complete redesign (fewer columns, a different foundation) and the use of GFRP. The source does not separate how much comes from the material, so it must not be read as "GFRP is 18% cheaper than steel". Every project needs its own calculation.

The real barrier: engineers' familiarity

According to the feature, the main obstacle to wider use of GFRP in Brazil is still that many structural engineers are not familiar with the material. The same is true in Panama — which is why selling bars is not enough:

  • Design codes: ACI CODE-440.11-22 sets the requirements for structural concrete reinforced with GFRP bars that meet the ASTM D7957 specification.
  • Differences to respect: GFRP has a lower modulus of elasticity than steel (FiberoX: ≥ 45 GPa), so deflection and crack width govern the design; it is not a bar-for-bar substitute.
  • Certified data: FiberoX has a tensile strength ≥ 950 MPa (Ø ≤ 12 mm, technical assessment SK TP-23/0023) and Panama registration MICI R-3384-2026.
  • Support: we provide technical support to engineers and contractors to size every element according to the code.
What GFRP is not: after the 9 October earthquake it is worth saying clearly. GFRP is elastic up to failure and does not yield like steel; it therefore does not replace ductile steel in seismic-resisting frames and walls. Its field is durability: slabs, floors, pavements, foundations, retaining walls, coastal works and rehabilitation. Every design must be signed by a licensed engineer.

From Brazil to Panama: three lessons

What was seen in BrazilHow it applies in Panama
Structural phases ~15% shorter, assembled with fewer workersHousing, slabs and floors in areas with little skilled labour or difficult access
Corroded columns rehabilitated with jacketing + GFRPCoastal buildings and corrosion-damaged structures that need a lasting repair
Savings from designing the whole structure around GFRPBring the supplier and the structural engineer in at the concept stage, not at the end
Malla GFRP FiberoX sobre el tablero de un puente
FiberoX GFRP mesh on a motorway bridge deck under rehabilitation, Slovakia 2026 (our own photo).

Sources and further reading

Image credits

  • Social housing under construction, Campo Grande (Brazil): WTF Formwork — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped).
  • Building under construction, Recife (Brazil): herval — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped).
  • FiberoX mesh photos: ISOThermal Innovations and FRP technologies s.r.o.

Note: this article is an independent commentary by ISOThermal Innovations based on information published by JEC Composites; the rights to the original text belong to its author and publisher. Names of people, companies and brands are cited for information purposes only. This content does not replace structural design by a licensed professional.

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