Chapter 2

Tudawe Brothers Ltd

2.2 REINFORCEMENT
2.2.1 INTRODUCTION
The use of plain concrete in structural work is limited, because the tensile strength of concrete is
only about 1/10th of its compressive strength. Hence if a beam with plain concrete will fail in the
bottom when the top portion can still take ten time stress. By inserting the steel bars in the
bottom of the beam to take the tensile stress, the beam is made ten times as strong as a plain
beam. Therefore a combination of concrete and steel makes for economy. When steel will
expand or compress equally together provide there is no slip of the bars in the concrete. The
deformation of both materials will be equal also.
The bond between steel and concrete is destroyed if the steel is greasy or painted, while in the
other hand slight rusting of the steel may increase the bond.
The steel and mild steel bars were the most widely used elements for the reinforcement.
Available diameters of the bars are 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25, 32Reinforcement is bend or
deformed to get the required shapes. That process is called bar bending. According to the
bar schedule that process was done. When preparing the bar schedule the shape of the length, no
of members, and the total required bars were obtained from the structural drawings, by
calculated and scaled.
MILD STEEL
This is a soft carbon steel. It is ductile and elasticable. It has 0.25 %carbon,
99 %iron and rest of it composing of manganese, sulfur, & phosparus. The strength of this type
of steel is 250 N/mm 2. In our site these bars were used to stirrups. The outer surface of the bars is
plain rounded. It is easy to work.
TOR STEEL
It is not deformed bars widely use in the construction work. It has helical ribs running along the
surface of the bar. Due to pressure of the ribs the bond between the steel and concrete is
considerably increased. It contains .4 % carbon 7. 99 % iron. These bars used as main bars of
slabs, columns, beams..etc.

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2.2.2 STORAGE OF REINFORCEMENT

This is very important factor in many sites. Reinforcement shall be stored on site under cover to
prevent rain water. Otherwise it will get corrosion. It should be such a way that it could be
identified easily. In our site according to the diameter and size it was stored.
2.2.3 CLEAR COVER
Clear cover is placed to prevent according the reinforcement bars and prevent from catching fire
to the concrete quickly. To keep clear cover, cover blocks are used which are made to the
proportion of concreting structure. Normally it was 1: 2 cement: sand and the size was (50 x 50)
mm and thickness was varied according to the requirement.
Cover block thickness to main reinforcement
Base/ Raft slab (under side)

(Other than under side)

1.5

Columns & Stumps

1.5

Basement/ Raft beams

Upper floor beams

Upper floor slabs

0.75

Walls

1.5

2.2.4 BENDING OF REINFORCEMENT

Normally bending of reinforcement is carried out according to the bar schedule after cut to the
desired sizes.
Bending for small bars was done by manually also. For this purpose specially made bending
table or past is used on the top of the bending table. There are few large nails were fixed on it.
The bar is properly measured and placed between nails. One of the ends of the bar is passed
through a steel pipe and by moving the pipe up to the required length of bended bar.

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2.2.5 TYPICAL NOTATION FOR REINFORCEMENT

12 T 16 17 200 B1
Where,
12 Total number of bars in a group
T Type of steel(T-tor steel and R-mild steel)
16 Diameter of bar in mm
17 Bar mark
200 Spacing of bars in mm
B1 Bottom position
Abbreviations used
B1- Bottom reinforcement
B2- Distribution bars in bottom net
T1- Top reinforcement
T2- Distribution bars in top net
C/C- Center to center
ALT-Alternatively
2.2.6 LAPPING OF REINFORCEMENT
Normally all r/f are provided in single piece for the full length of the member reinforced. If such
length exceeds the normal manufactured length of the bars laps are provided. The normal
recommended lap length is

45 x Bar diameter ,When two different diameters are lapped lap

length is 45` times of the diameter of the smaller bar.

Example:(1.)

Lapping

T20

T20
Lapping length = 45 *

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(2.)

T40

Lapping

T20
Lapping length =45 *
= 45* 20 (small bar diameter)
= 900 mm
2.2.7 CRANK OF BAR

Y
X
Y: X =1:10
2.2.8 CLEANING REINFORCEMENT
A wire brush was used to remove all loose rust and scale. Mud, form oil, paint etc, can be
removed by a solvent which is not oil based, e.g. petrel. If the steel is rusted, remember the
following point

Loose, flakey or soft rust must be removed, as it will prevent the concrete bonding to the
steel.

Heavy corrosion reduces the effective size of reinforcement, and an engineers advice
should be sought before using it.

Very light rust causes no problems and it can even improve the bond between steel and
concrete.

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2.2.9 STACKING REINFORCEMENT

The following points should be remembered when stacking reinforcing steel on a job site

Stack it off the ground, to protect it from mud.

Stack it conveniently according to size and length.

Ensure that each bundle is correctly labeled with waterproof tags.

2.2.10 BENDING REINFORCEMENT

Probably the simplest device for beading bars up to 12mm in diameter is a 3m length of pipe
whose internal diameter is slightly greater than the diameter of the bar. This method can be used
when the bends are simple and the quantity is not great.
For general work up to 20 mm diameter bar, simple hand, operated machines are
available. These machines consist of a flat sleet plate on which is fixed a bending pin around
which the bar is bent.
When bar is bended, the following point should be noted

Bar must be bent accurately to the dimensions shown on the bending schedule.
Otherwise, the cover may not be obtained when the steel is positioned in the structure
fixed.

Bars should be bent cold with a slow and regular movement.

Never heat cold worked bars.

Do not heat other bars without an engineers approval.

If bars have to be heated, do not exceed a cherry red colour.

Never cool heated bars by quenching in water.

If steel has been bent and then straightened, it should not be bent again at the same point
or near the same point.

2.2.11 FIXING REINFORCEMENT

Reinforcement must be securely fined in the formwork so that the bars tire not displaced by
workers walking on them or by the placement of concrete. It is essential for the safety of a
structure to ensure that the correct size, shape and grade of reinforcement is used, and that the
reinforcement is fixed accurately and securely in the position specified. It is essential that the

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concrete cover specified in the drawing is obtained in the order to protect the reinforcement from
rusting or chemical attack.
Where bars cross or where there is a lapped splice, bars should be tied together with either soft
iron wire (tie wire) or specially made wire ties( bag ties).The most suitable size of wire is 1.6
mm diameter (do not use wire less than 1. 25 mm diameter). Bag ties can be obtained in various
lengths, but 150 mm is suitable for most purposes.

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