4. Structural design and calculation

4.1 Designing without passive reinforcement

BPR's tensile strength and ductility enable it to be used in structures without passive reinforcement. Asymmetrical performance in tension and compression is compensated for by the use of prestressing (by pre- or post-tensioning), the aim of which is to take up the main tensile forces. Secondary tensile forces (shear, localized forces, diffusion of concentrated loads, etc.) are taken up by the fibers.

This design of structures without passive steels opens the way for designers to use new shapes, as the constraints associated with shaping and embedding reinforcement have disappeared.