Serial components made from carbon-reinforced concrete – The construction law perspective

Since January 2024, the DAfStb guideline on “Precast Components with Non-Metallic Reinforcement” with its Parts 1 to 5 has served as a comprehensive basis for design, construction, and test methods to determine the required characteristic values for non-metallic reinforcement.

However, mass-produced system components have advantages over custom components that are difficult to incorporate in a guideline, particularly when dealing with composite materials that have not yet been thoroughly researched.

To ensure the cost-effective design of system components, additional tests must thus be conducted and supported by expert opinions to obtain a project-related approval (Zustimmung im Einzelfall; ZiE) in conjunction with a project-related construction technique permit (vorhabenbezogene Bauartgenehmigung; vBG) for the system component to be approved. A national technical approval (allgemeine bauaufsichtliche Zulassung; abZ) can help avoid repeating tests and expert opinions and thus save time and costs for system components intended for use in other projects.

This presentation discusses the above links between system components and approval procedures for the cost-effective utilization of carbon-reinforced concrete as a composite material in the context of construction law.