Everything You Need To Know about the Reinforcement of ...

Concrete, renowned for its durability, ease of use, and fire resistance properties, is a staple in global construction projects.

Heyou supply professional and honest service.

However, on its own, concrete has one fatal flaw &#; it is incredibly brittle and will break quickly under any particular type of force.

Introducing ... REBAR! Also widely known as Reinforcing Bar.

In this article, we'll explain why reinforcement is necessary and how to reinforce concrete using rebar.

Let's jump straight in!

Rebar used for casting concrete slabs

Why Does Concrete Require Rebar?

Most concrete requires some reinforcement.

While concrete is very strong in some ways, it has a few devastating weaknesses. But to understand these weaknesses, we first need to understand the different types of stress that can be placed on objects.

Different load types that can act on a structure

1. Compressive stress

Compressive stress is a force that is placed upon an object that shortens or compresses the object. For example, if an elephant steps on your toe, you will experience compressive stress.

1. Shear stress

Shear stress occurs when forces are applied perpendicularly to one another. If you lock your fingers together and pull against yourself, you are experiencing shear stress.

1. Tensile stress

Tensile stress is a force exerted on an object that lengthens or stretches that object. When you pull a rubber band apart from both ends, you exert tensile stress on the rubber band.

Concrete is very strong under compressive stress and shear stress, but it performs poorly under tensile strength. In fact, the tensile strength of concrete is only about 10-15% of its compressive strength.

12 Meter rebar in a construction site

Our Good Ol' Mate, Rebar

Rebar is then used to strengthen concrete by creating a composite material.

These rods come in various lengths and thicknesses and usually have ridges or bumps to bond well with the concrete.

Rebar is usually made from steel. Steel is very strong and expands and contracts in changing temperatures at nearly the same rate as concrete.

What Does Rebar Do For Concrete?

As we previously mentioned, concrete handles compressive stress well but does poorly under tensile strength.

This proves to be a problem as almost every structure experiences more than one force acting on it.

For example... The Classic Beam

When a beam experiences compressive stress on the top, it bends.

And when a beam bends from compressive stress on the top, the beam's bottom stretches.

That means the bottom of the beam experiences tensile stress.

Tension Vs Compression

So, since concrete doesn't do well with tensile stress, it doesn't always make an excellent structural material on its own.

But when we add rebar, two things happen.

First: When rebar is placed in concrete, it creates a composite material. The concrete protects against compressive stress, and the rebar protects against tensile stress. This composite material is extremely strong.

In fact, concrete that includes rebar has a breaking point nearly double that of concrete without rebar.

Second: When rebar is placed in concrete, it gives warning signs before the concrete breaks apart completely.

Concrete without rebar is considered brittle. As the pressure increases on pure concrete, it will suddenly break without warning.

On the other hand, concrete that includes rebar is considered ductile. That means that as pressure increases, small fissures and cracks can be seen forming in the concrete.

This is positive in two ways:

• Concrete that contains rebar remains strong even with small cracks
• There is a warning signal before the concrete completely fails.

Rebar combined with concrete to create a strong composite material

When is Rebar Necessary?

Concrete surfaces that support large trucks, heavy machinery, or stead traffic need concrete rebar reinforcement, and any structural concrete, like walls in buildings, should definitely include rebar.

Does every single concrete job need rebar?

Not necessarily.

If you're pouring a concrete driveway as a place to park your family minivan, heavy reinforcement using rebar may be overkill.

When in doubt though, use rebar!

No matter how large or small the concrete pour is that you are doing, rebar will make your concrete stronger. At the very least, rebar will dramatically decrease the number of cracks in the concrete.

Bonus tip: If you are doing a small residential concrete bar and steel rebar rods feel like overkill, you can use welded wire mesh. Mesh is thinner than rebar, so it's not as strong, but it's also cheaper.

Welded Wire Mesh in concrete

7 Main Types of Rebar

As we just discussed, welded wire mesh is a type of rebar ideal for specific applications.

Maybe you're wondering: Are there other types of rebar that are ideal for specific situations?

Yes, there are!

Here are some of the different types of rebar you may wish to use.

Carbon Steel Rebar

This is the most common type of rebar and is sometimes referred to as a "black bar". It is incredibly versatile but corrodes more easily than other types. This makes it less than ideal for areas that are subject to high humidity or in structures frequently exposed to water.

Welded Wire Mesh

Additional resources:
Ultimate Guide to Using Foil Flashing Tape

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Rebar Welded Wire Mesh.

Welded Wire Mesh (WWM) is made from a series of steel wires arranged at right angles and electrically welded at all steel wire crossings.

It is useful in slab-on-ground slabs where the ground has been well compacted. A heavier fabrication of welded wire fabric can be used in walls and structural floor slabs. This is commonly used in road pavement, box culverts, drainage structures, and small concrete canals.

Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer

Like carbon fiber, GFRP rebars will never corrode under any conditions. But that feature comes at a significant cost. These rebars can run at ten times the cost of epoxy-coated rebars!

GFRP Rebars, however, has been confirmed to be the solution as a major development in strengthened concrete technology due to its advantages over traditional steel rebar, including corrosion resistance, lighter weight, high tensile strength, and easy installation. These features make it a suitable option for use in concrete structures in harsh environments, such as bridges, tunnels, marine structures, and industrial facilities.

Epoxy-Coated Rebar

Epoxy-coated rebars are simply rebars coated with a thin layer of epoxy. This makes them up to 1,700 more times resistant to corrosion than standard carbon steel rebars. As a result, they are often used in areas in contact with salt water or where a corrosion problem is imminent.

Robert Caputo covers great findings and research discussing the controversial topic of epoxy-coated rebar and its effectiveness in protecting against corrosion in this article over here.

Galvanized Rebar

Galvanized Rebars are 40 times more resistant to corrosion than carbon steel rebars, and they are much harder to damage than Epoxy-Coated Rebars.

This makes an excellent alternative to Epoxy-Coated Rebars if you need something less prone to corrosion.

Unfortunately, Galvanized Rebar is about 40% more expensive than epoxy-coated rebar.

Stainless Steel Rebar

Stainless Steel Rebar is quite expensive - about eight times the price of epoxy-coated rebar.

But, for those who have a reason to use it, stainless steel rebars are 1,500 times more resistant to corrosion than black bars. Stainless steel rebars can also be bent in the field, which is very convenient.

European Rebar

The advantage of European Rebar is its low cost. European rebar is made primarily of manganese, which makes it cheap and easy to bend.

This flexibility makes European Rebar easy to work with, but it's generally not recommended for areas that experience earthquakes or for projects that require substantial structural integrity from its rebar.

Rebar comes in a variety of diameters sizes and lengths

Choosing the Right Size of Rebar

There are many steel rebar sizes, grades, and types to support a variety of structures. Standard rebar sizes can vary by country &#; metric size and imperial size.

Rebars in Australia are usually available in various diameters, including 6mm, 10mm, 12mm, 16mm, 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 32mm, and 36mm.

Most suppliers such as Instant Steel Solutions carry stock lengths that include 6m, 9m, 12m, 16m, and 20m.

Simply put, the size of the rebar you'll use for a particular job depends on the amount of strength you need. When you need more strength, you'll use bigger pieces of rebar.

It is always good to consult with structural engineers or experienced professionals who can assess your project's specific needs. Their expertise can help you make informed decisions regarding rebar size and placement.

Concrete Pour

How to Place Rebar in Concrete

Once you know the type and size of rebar you need, it's time to place it in concrete!

There is no simple formula for placing rebar correctly. A lot depends on the variables of your particular build. For example, how much force will be exerted on the concrete? Will the concrete be freezing and thawing over the seasons?

If you are doing a simple pour around your home, talk to your local concrete contractor about how to place the rebar.

When it comes to bigger commercial pours, the rebar specifications should be detailed in the blueprints. An engineer has carefully figured out exactly how much rebar is needed and how it should be spaced, so follow the directions carefully.

Thought and care must be put into how the rebar is placed, or the concrete's structural integrity could be compromised.

For example, if the engineer calls for rebar spaced every 4 inches, you need to place three bars for every 12 inches of the form.

If the steel placer is a little wonky and places the bars at a 5-inch spacing rather than a 4-inch spacing, the product's strength could be reduced by up to 20%!

Cut and Bend Rebar

You may know precisely how far apart to place your rebar, but what if your bars are too long? Or what if your structure requires bent rebar?

Some rebars come pre-bent, but in general, you may need to cut and bend the rebar so you can place it properly.

Note: At ASPAC ALLIANCE STEELS SDN BHD , we offer CTL (Cut-to-length) and C&B (Cut and Bend) Rebars with minimal to zero wastage.

If you have the right tools, cutting and bending rebar is easy.

First, let's talk about cutting rebar. There are several tools to use for this task.

A hacksaw or bolt cutter is a good option if the rebar is thin enough and if you aren't cutting a large quantity. If you are doing a job of significant size, an angle cutter with a cutting wheel does a great job.

Bending Rebar

With all the tools listed, it's important to note that you don't need to cut through the entire rebar. You only need to cut through half of it, and you can break it in half easily.

Use this little hack, and you'll end up saving yourself loads of time!

Sometimes, rebar needs to be tied too. If you'd like to learn more about tying rebar, speaking to your local contractor is a great place to start.

Final Note

Concrete is an essential material in construction. However, without rebar, concrete loses much of its value.

Rebar and Concrete

As we all know, size matters.

Particularly in choosing the right size of rebar to meet your project needs.

If you are looking for consistent rebar supply in the Asia-Pacific region, please feel free to drop us a message @ ASPAC ALLIANCE STEELS SDN BHD to discuss how we can meet your needs.

Hope you have enjoyed this article, and we'll see you in the next one!

I am building a 60×100 Metal building for a trucking company and need help with some foundation details. A Engineer has designed the foundation plan. The Engineer shows a 4&#; Slab psi with 6×6-W1.4xW1.4 wire mesh, I would like to use rebar in place of the wire mesh as in my experience wire mesh usually ends up in the bottom of the slab, I also do not think a 4&#; slab is enough for a shop that will have 80,000lb trucks in it. If rebar is used what should the spacing and size be? Also what is everybodys opinions about the 4&#; slab versus a 6&#;

Are you interested in learning more about Reinforced Mesh Panel? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!