Reinforcement (Steel Rebar)

Concrete has significantly high compressive strength while its tensile strength is negligible.
On the other hand, steel comparatively has a high tensile strength which can even sustain
plastic deformation of about 5–8%.

Therefore to achieve a structure that can withstand compressive stresses as well as tensile
stresses, engineers make a combination of steel and concrete so they end up with a concrete
which is reinforced with a steel bars. The steel bars used here, along with the concrete, are
called reinforcements or rebars.

This composite action makes structure ductile, and thus the structure can endure certain
magnitude of deformation and deflection even after minor cracks.

Following are the major reasons for using steel rebars:

1. Steel is highly ductile material. It can deform without losing its toughness and is non-
brittle.

2. Young’s Modulus of steel is equal in both tension and compression (2.0 – 2.1 x 105
N/mm2). It means increase/decrease in length of steel bar on pulling/pushing will be same.

3. Coefficient of thermal expansion (increase in length corresponding to increase in

temperature) of concrete and steel is almost equal. This ensures the bond strength during
thermal expansion, thus preventing bond failure. Moreover, if not the same the bar will
expand more than concrete and will create a serious problem.

4. Steel undergoes the same strain or deformation as the surrounding concrete in order to
prevent discontinuity, slip or separation of the two materials under load.

5. It can be recycled easily

6. It can be welded easily.

7. Widely and cheaply available compared to other ductile metals.

Types of Rebars:

European Rebar: these rebars are made primarily of manganese. Their resistant to
bending is very week, which mean they can be bend easily. Generally it is not
recommended to use in areas that are exposed to extreme weather conditions or geological
effects, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes, nor for projects that require
substantial structural integrity from its rebar. However they can be cost effective.

Carbon Steel Rebar: This is the most common type of rebar and is sometimes referred to
as a "black bar". It's extremely versatile, so it is used on every type and scale of project
with few exceptions. One important disadvantages of the black rebar is that it corrodes
more easily than other types. When rebar corrodes, it expands causing cracks and breaking
the concrete around it, making it inappropriate to use in wet areas or for situations in which
the rebar might be exposed to humidity or water saturation. However, with respect to is
value/tensile strength ratio, many consider carbon steel rebar to be the best option in all
other types of construction.

Galvanized Rebar: Galvanized rebar is 40 times more resistant to corrosion than black
rebar, but it is more difficult to damage the coating of galvanized rebar, which give it
more value than epoxy-coated rebar. In that respect, it is more ideal for structures that
will be heavily exposed to wet and humid conditions. However, it is about 40% more
expensive than epoxy-coated rebar.
Epoxy-Coated Rebar: Epoxy-coated rebar are expensive, it is a composite of a black rebar
with an epoxy coat. It has the same textile strength, but is 70 to 1,700 times more resistant
to corrosion, therefore it is used in areas that will be in contact with salty water or where a
corrosion problem is imminent. However, the epoxy coating is incredibly delicate therefore
bars should be ordered from a reputable supplier, because the greater the damage to the
coating, the less resistant to corrosion.

Epoxy-Coated Rebar
Fig()

Welded Wire Fabric: Welded wire fabric (WWF) is made from a series of wires
arranged at right angles and electrically welded at all steel wire crossings. It can be used
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 floor slabs. This is commonly used in road
pavement, box culverts, drainage structures, and in small concrete canals.

Welded Wire Fabric

Fig ()
 Glass-Fiber-Reinforced-Polymer (GFRP): GFRP is a composite much like carbon
fiber. GFRP rebar is have a very high resistance to corrosion, so it will not corrode ever
under any conditions. In addition it costs ten times as much as epoxy coated rebar per
pound, it is extremely light, therefore the cost is only about double when considering
talking linear feet.

Glass-Fiber-Reinforced-Polymer (GFRP)
Fig()

Stainless Steel Rebar: Stainless steel can be used as an alternative reinforcing steel bar
with carbon steel reinforcement. Using stainless steel reinforcing bars will not create
corrosion, as it is 1,500 times more resistant to corrosion than black bar. Moreover it can
be a cost-effective solution in areas subject to corrosion problems or where repair is
difficult and expensive. These rebar will cost at least eight times more than epoxy-coated
rebar, however.

Stainless Steel Rebar

Fig()
Expanded Metal or Wire Mesh Rebar: Expanded metal or wire mesh reinforcement is
another good product for concrete. Expanded metal is made by shearing a sheet of steel
into parallel lines that are then expanded to form a diamond shape or a square shape
between each cut. Expanded metal is commonly used as reinforcement in areas where a
considerable thickness of plaster is required, or to reinforce light concrete construction.
Wire mesh reinforcement can be used on sidewalks, small concrete pads, or walkable
surfaces that don't receive high live or load charges.

Wire Mesh Rebar

Fig()
Placing Rebar:

The improper placement of reinforcing steel can greatly reduce the strength and life of a
structure and possibly lead to a structural failure. The failure of a structure does not
necessarily mean the collapse of a structure. A structure fails when it can no longer be
used in the manner in which it was intended.

When Placing The Rebar We Should Take Care Of Several Things:

Concrete Cover:

When the reinforcing steel is placed with less concrete cover than required by design, the
life of the reinforcing steel can be shortened due to corrosion from increased exposure to
deicing materials and/or the elements. Corrosion of the reinforcing steel will cause an
increase in the diameter of the steel, which will cause the concrete outside the steel to
sometimes spall off and the concrete around the reinforcing steel to become debonded
from the reinforcing steel. This debonding of the concrete from the reinforcing steel can
reduce the strength of the structure by preventing the necessary interaction between the
concrete and the reinforcing steel. On the other hand too much concrete cover, will
reduce the strength of the structure.

Structural Background

The reinforcing closest to the surface of the concrete is usually the main reinforcing and
runs from one support to the other. The main reinforcing can be either at the top of the
section or the bottom of the section depending on how the section is loaded. The function
of the reinforcing that is placed perpendicular to the main reinforcing is to distribute
stresses between the main reinforcing and help control cracking of the concrete.

Development Length

The development length is often shown on the plans as a minimum embedment length. The
purpose of the development length is to anchor the reinforcing bars beyond the area where
the strength of the bars is needed. Without the required development length, the reinforcing
bar would pull out of the concrete surrounding it and the structure could fail.
Bar Spacing and Bar Size

The amount of reinforcing steel in the tension area of the structure also has a large impact
on the strength of the structure. Both the spacing and the size of the reinforcing bars control
the amount of steel in the tension area.

Type of steel bar used in this project:

In practice, any material with sufficient tensile strength that is materially compatible with
concrete could potentially be used to reinforce concrete. Rebar is available in grades and
specifications that vary in yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, chemical composition,
and percentage of elongation.

In this project we used Epoxy-Coated Rebar, typically consisting of hot-rolled round bars
with deformation patterns (grade of S275). We use this grade as it doesn’t show any
failure in the building design, moreover this grade of steel is widely used for moderate
buildings such as residential, hotels, hospitals and shopping centers, as well as it’s not
that much expensive, and covers the requirements of yielding strength, furthermore this
type of steel rebar can’t be corroded easily which give it a high advantage to use in such a
wet environment like North Cyprus.