to elliottpj

from "mapestru"

( 9/18/02)
(This is my first contribution to this excellent forum, so please forgive all glitches)
Re your steel plate reinforced concrete concept, I suggest that there is no apparent advantage, and there are many disadvantages,---most of which have been well discussed by Austim.
I do not understand the remarks of Flame (which could be dangerous, if applied, though misunderstood)
Modern standard rebars provide a very economical and efficient method of use of steel for reinforcement.
The use of exotic very strong plastics or carbon fibers, or fiberglass may eventually provide improvements, but there are many problems of cost, anchorage,etc, still to be solved.
(Some time back, I used an oriented fiberglass mat, epoxy glued to the exterior of a previously cast beam, to provide later additional reinforcement, but that was a special case which offered no great economy, except for being able to be done as an after-thought.)
In summary, though you have my best wishes, I must conclude that,-- as you surmised, --- you are "barking up the wrong tree".