Why Steel Is Preferred as Reinforcement in Concrete

June 29, 2020 10:21 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

If you’ve ever worked with concrete before, or plan on doing so, you might have heard of reinforced concrete. While the material is strong and stable on its own, it doesn’t hurt to have reinforcement that can further strengthen it and help maintain its structure for decades to come. Steel reinforcement in concrete in Indiana usually comes in the form of rebar, but the reasons steel may be preferred for this type of work are varied.

Our team at Benchmark Fabricated Steel is pleased to offer more insight into why steel is the favorite material chosen when it comes to the necessary reinforcement of concrete.

Why is steel reinforcement in concrete even necessary?

When most people think of concrete, they probably think of a durable material that’s also incredibly strong. While this is true, concrete’s benefits lie primarily in its compressive strength. However, this is not the sole type of strength that matters when it comes to building with a material like concrete. There is also tensile strength, which concrete is lacking. Steel reinforcement in concrete in Indiana is necessary to buttress this tensile strength by taking over much of the strain, while also preventing the spread of cracks that can occur due to changes in temperature and shrinkage after installation. Rebar reinforcement is a necessary part of the concrete industry.

How does steel reinforcement work?

Steel reinforcement in concrete works by transferring loads between the concrete and the rebar itself. These bars and the concrete transfer strain back and forth between them thanks to friction, so it’s important to choose a material for the reinforcement that’s capable of handling this pressure. This constant shifting back and forth of the weight sounds complex, but it’s actually a relatively simple process that caused a revolution in construction when it was first devised. It’s a big part of why steel is used in concrete reinforcement in Indiana.

Why is steel the preferred material?

It may seem strange that steel is the most popular material by a significant margin when it comes to material choices for rebar. After all, there are plenty of metals to choose from. There are a few things that make steel so special and useful in this situation. For starters, it’s very easy to weld, which is important when anyone is using steel reinforcement in concrete in Indiana. It’s also very ductile—it can be manipulated (bent, etc.) without compromising its structural integrity, and it’s easily recycled. It’s also the perfect match from a physics perspective—it easily handles different types of force without becoming compromised.

If you’re in the market for concrete work and are curious as to what rebar and steel reinforcement can offer to your project, our team of trained professionals is standing by to answer any questions you have. Benchmark Fabricated Steel has been in the business for almost half a century, so we’ve seen many instances of steel reinforcement giving a concrete project exactly what it needs to really take flight. Get in touch with us to arrange a consultation.

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