Q: What size cylinder would we have to test in the ACI FRP composites competition?
A: Section 2.14 of the rules require that on the day of the competition you submit a 75 mm by 150 mm (3” by 6”) cylinder poured from the same concrete batch as that used to pour the competition structure. You may use whatever size cylinders you choose to report the concrete strength.
Q: Do glass fibers qualify as aggregate?
A: No, glass fibers do not qualify as aggregate. Fiber reinforced concrete (a concrete mix with short fibers, no matter what the type) is not permitted.
Q:

Are we permitted to use metal wires to locate the FRP inside the beam?
A:

Not unless they are removed prior to testing. The rules state that bar supports must be non-metallic and located outside the clear span.
Q:

Is the 35.4 inch (span to span length) the minimum length of the beam?
A:

The 900 mm (35.4 inch) dimension is the center to center distance between supports. A structure shorter than this certainly could not be tested, but teams should also ensure that their structure is not likely to slip off the supports as it is loaded. Maximum length is limited to 1000 mm.
Q:

If the dimensions are 7.87" x 7.87”" x 39", are you sure that the range is 11-33 pounds?
A:

Reread section 2.1 of the rules carefully. The structure does not have to be 200 mm (7.87 inches) by 200 mm (7.87 inches), it must fit within a box that is 200 mm wide by 200 mm high by 1000 mm long. Structure weight range is correctly specified in paragraph 2.3 of the rules.
Q:

Is the use of air entraining permitted for the beam concrete mix?
A:

Air entraining is permitted as long as requirements in paragraph 2.7 of the competition rules are met.
Q:

Is the use of lightweight core permitted for the beam?
A:

It depends on what you consider a "lightweight core" to be. If you mean a core of lightweight concrete, then yes, that is permitted. But if the lightweight core is made of any material other than concrete, it would NOT be permitted.
Q:

What material will the reaction points be composed of when the structure is tested?
A:

Steel.
Q:

Could you provide me with the properties of sheets and epoxy and resin for stick sheet that can be used in our structure?
A:

Please refer to the manufacturer's data sheets available below. If you are looking for more information than is provided on the sheets, you will need to do further research yourself.
Q:

What does "additional team" refer to in part 1D of the rules?
A:

An additional team would be a third team who pre-registers from the same school. If one of the initial two pre-registered teams are disqualified, the third team would be moved up to participate.
Q:

Can the FRP surface be roughened to decrease the bond strength?
A:

Yes, the rules permit this.
Q:

Are the properties of the FRP the same for each manufacturer?
A:

Generally speaking, no. Please refer to the manufacturer's data sheets below.
Q:

Is the FRP allowed to show?
A:

FRP may be exposed in the structure.
Q:

How much FRP will a student team receive?
A:

We will send you two (2) pieces of FRP reinforcement from each FRP manufacturer participating in the competition. The total amount of reinforcement will depend on how many FRP manufacturers participate in a given year.
Q:

When will my team receive their rebar kits?
A:

We cannot give you an actual date. FRP kits will be shipped after you submit the online Advance Registration form. Please note that you must fill out the address you would like your kits sent to properly in order to ensure delivery. Allow approximately 2-3 weeks for the shipment to reach you if we are shipping to a U.S. address. For Canadian shipments, allow approximately 3-4 weeks. If you have not received your FRP after 3 weeks (4 weeks in Canada) please contact ACI.
Q:

Is bending the grid in the corners of the structure permitted?
A:

Yes.
Q:

What constitutes as "mechanical anchorage" of FRP bars?
A:

"Mechanical Anchorage" is the use of any type of mechanical device (i.e. end plate, etc) to anchor the bar, other than relying on the bond between the concrete and reinforcement.
Q:

What cannot be done to the reinforcement bars or what are the limitations on the manipulation of the bars? Can the bars be melted in order to join them together?
A:

The only limitation on manipulation of the bars or the grids is that you are not permitted to prestress bars or grids. However, you should research the materials prior to doing anything to the bars and grids other than cutting them, as it is possible that activities such as heating may destroy material properties.
Q:

I had a question on the shape of the beam, does it necessarily have to look like a plain rectangular prism or can it be shaped to anything we think will work?
A:

The shape does not necessarily have to be a plain rectangular prism. Any shape that does not violate contest rules is acceptable.
Q:

Are you able to bend the FRP bars in any way to create a hook at the end of the bar?
A:

The only limitation on manipulation of the bars or the grids is that you are not permitted to prestress bars or grids. However, you should research the materials prior to doing anything to the bars and grids other than cutting them, as it is possible that activities such as heating may destroy material properties. Also keep in mind the stress-strain characteristics of these materials that are linear elastic to failure—or in other words, the bars will not yield.
Q:

Is Micron 3 allowed?
A:

Only materials listed on the official mix and cost worksheet are allowed, as per Paragraph 2d and 2e of the rules. Although Micron 3 may meet requirements of ASTM C618, it is not fly ash meeting ASTM C618 so it would not be allowed.
1. Use only materials listed in the official mix and cost worksheet.
2. The cementitious materials shall consist of any combination of portland cement meeting ASTM C150, or blended cement meeting ASTM C595 or ASTM C1157. Supplementary cementitious materials that may also be used include slag cement ("slag") meeting ASTM C989, fly ash meeting ASTM C618, and/or silica fume meeting ASTM C1240.
Q:

The weight requirements as specified in the rules stipulate a maximum allowable weight of 15 kilograms for the beam. Is this correct? It was suggested that this might be a misprint in the rules text.
A:

There is no misprint. The limit is 15 kilograms. Please note that while Paragraph 2A of the rules requires that "the structure must fit into a 200 mm (7.87 in.) wide by 200 mm (7.87 in.) high by 1000 mm (39.4 in.) long box," that does not mean that the structure's cross section must be 200 mm wide by 200 mm high.
Q:

When constructing our beam, is it permissible for us to use bars that are exposed as part of the beam structure? That is, bars that are only partly encased in the concrete and partly visible (that is, bracing)? Must all bars used in the construction be fully covered by concrete?
A:

Bars do not have to be fully covered by concrete.
Q:

May we use reinforcing bars and fiber mesh for the competition?
A:

Different types of FRP may be used in the same specimen, as long as the ONLY reinforcing materials used are from the FRP reinforcing materials kit and ALL materials used are reported on the Official Mix and Cost form to be submitted by March 22, 2011.
Q:

Is our batch weight based on how much material we used to produce our specimen or is it based on our mixture design of 1 m3 (35 ft3)?
A:

Batch weights are based on the quantity of materials that are mixed to produce the specimen.
Q:

On the diagram, it says that the end reactions are applied through flat plates that are at least 50 x 50 mm (2 x 2 in.). The design that we are working with is an inverted U-shape that won't work with plates that size. The wording makes it seem like bigger plates are a possibility.
A:

The beams must be able to be tested with plates any size from 50 x 50 mm (2 x 2 in.) on up. Designs that do not meet this requirement may not be able to be tested at the competition. It is the team's responsibility to ensure that their beam can be safely tested with end reactions applied through flat plates that may be as small as 50 x 50 mm (2 x 2 in.).
Q:

The rules state... "Section 2.14 of the rules require that on the day of the competition you submit a 75 x 150 mm (3 x 6 in.) cylinder poured from the same concrete batch as that used to pour the competition structure." Do we need to include this amount in the calculation of our cost of our concrete mixture for the beam, or do we calculate the cost of the concrete for the beam only?
A:

You must include the cost of ALL materials in the batch you mix to pour your concrete beam. This would certainly include the cost of the concrete for the required 75 x 150 mm (3 x 6 in.) cylinder but must also include the cost of any additional concrete you mix, along with the concrete for the beam and the cylinder (for example, extra concrete for slump tests, additional cylinders, additional beams, "extra" concrete, and so on). ALL MATERIALS THAT ARE MIXED IN THE SAME BATCH FROM WHICH THE BEAM IS POURED MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE COST.
Q:

Is a 100 x 200 mm (4 x 8 in.) cylinder acceptable? 

A:

Yes, student teams may substitute a 100 x 200 mm (4 x 8 in.) cylinder for the 75 x 150 mm (3 x 6 in.) cylinder.
Q:

A 75 x 150 mm (3 x 6 in.) cylinder mold is not available in our country. May we use a 100 x 200 mm (4 x 8 in.) mold?
A:

If student teams do not have 75 x 150 mm (3 x 6 in.) cylinder molds readily available, they may substitute a larger size cylinder in its place, provided that the cylinder has a heightdiameter ratio of 2:1.
Q:

Can we reuse the concrete tested? That is, can we use the concrete used for the slump test in one of our cylinders? This would save on cost.
A:

Yes, using the slump-test concrete in the required cylinder or beam is permitted, should teams so choose.
Q:

Can you add sustainability points for using recycled concrete aggregate?
A:

NO, recycled concrete aggregate does not receive sustainability points. Although recycled concrete aggregate is certainly a sustainable material, the FRP rules do not currently permit taking credit for the recycled concrete aggregate.
Q:

The three cores and the slump test that are listed on the SI conversion page aren't mentioned in the official rules or any other page of the submittals. Is it a requirement to perform these tests? Can we use the material from the slump test in the cores or beam?  Regarding the question pertaining to the concrete used for cost calculations, does this mean that we must include any concrete that is batched for losses even if it isn't used in the beam cores or testing? I typically batch for 30 to 50% losses, but the extra concrete isn't always needed.
A:

All requested information on the Official Mix and Cost Form must be provided, so you will need to perform a slump test and break three cylinders for 7-day strength. Student teams are permitted to use concrete from the slump test in their test cylinders or competition structure, if they so choose. ANY CONCRETE BATCHED WITH THE COMPETITION STRUCTURE MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE COST CALCULATIONS. So, if you typically batch for 30 to 50% losses, you will need to pay for that concrete.
Q:

Just to be clear, are we supposed to pour four concrete cylinders (three for 7-day testing and one to be submitted), perform a slump test, and pour our competition beam in one batch volume, from which the cost of the structure is calculated? 
A:

That is incorrect. The cost of the structure is based on ALL materials batched for the concrete. This includes the concrete for the structure, the slump test, the cylinders, and any "extra" concrete that is left over after pouring. You must pay for all concrete that you batch with your competition beam.