What are Dowels and why are they important?

Dowels are often used in concrete construction, from roads to loading docks, bridges and anywhere else where concrete slabs are joined together to create a continuous surface. Dowels are smooth and usually round in shape high-strength bars which are normally 1/8″ to 3″ in diameter and 2′ to 6′ in length. Other diameters and lengths may be required based on the project’s load requirements. The main purpose of the dowel bars is to provide a mechanical connection and transfer load across the construction joint from one slab to another without restricting horizontal movement of the slabs, as the weight of the traveling object moves from the loaded slab to the unloaded slab. The dowel bars are embedded in concrete slabs at mid-depth and parallel to the slab surface, with the center of the bar under the slab joint.  By reducing joint deflection and stress, properly installed dowels greatly reduce joint faulting and edge cracking.

Traditionally, dowels have mostly been manufactured from steel. However, steel dowels are prone to expansion and shrinkage with temperature fluctuations, as well as corrosion over time, causing the dowels to become loose and ineffective in transferring load. Ineffective dowels may cause excessive slab joint faulting and require costly retrofit. 

By contrast, BINEVIR’s GFRP dowel bars are fully non-corrosive and non-conductive of electricity and heat, do not expand or contract with temperature fluctuations, 2+ times stronger than steel dowels while being 5+ times lighter, alkali and chemically resistant, eco-friendly and longer lasting.

BINEVIR GFRP dowel bars are smooth round cylindrical bars which are manufactured with the same quality production process as our industry-leading rebars, but with no sand coating or other post-treatment of their surface. Our dowels do not require greasing, as their surface bonding strength to concrete is sufficiently low for effective gliding. Sealing of the bar ends is also not necessary. Our bars come in many standard diameters and lengths and usually do not need cutting on-site. However, if cutting is required, it can be easily accomplished with the use of a fine blade saw, grinder, carborundum or diamond blade. 

BINEVIR GFRP dowel bars are a perfect choice for both the new construction projects and for the retrofit projects requiring replacement of the failed steel and other dowels.