8 Steel Reinforcement and Fabrication

Lesson 8:
Learning After finishing this module, students are expected to:
Outcomes
1. Be familiar with the different sizes of steel bars
2. Learn to design the appropriate size of bars needed
3. Determine the spacing of steel reinforcement.
4. Be familiar with the different provisions and
requirements of ACI code and NSCP

Topics 1.1. Overview

1.2. Steel Reinforcement

Note: Read and study about

1. Steel Reinforcement and Fabrication
2. Properties of Steel Reinforcement
3. ACI Code Limitations on Steel reinforcement
4. Estimate of Quantity of Materials

References:
Simplified Building Construction Estimates, Max B. Fajardo Jr.
Estimating Bill of Materials, Tagayun and Associates
. Introduction to building construction

Warm Up:

Give three things that you expect to learn in this module.

1. _________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________
_____________

Pre-Test: Please answer the following questions;

1. Why is reinforcing steel bars required for concrete?

2. What is the minimum bar size for columns?

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Steel Reinforcement

Steel is the most widely used reinforcing materials for almost all types
of concrete construction. Steel is an excellent partner of concrete in resisting
both tension and compression stresses. Comparatively, steel is ten times
stronger than concrete in resisting compression load and hundred times
stronger in tensile stresses.

The design of concrete assumes that concrete and steel reinforcement

acts together in resisting load in the state of simultaneous deformation,
otherwise, due to excessive load impose upon it steel bars might slip out from
the concrete in the absence of sufficient bond.

The combination of steel bars and concrete have the following

satisfactory performances.

1. It has a negligible difference in thermal expansion coefficient making it

safe from undue effects of differential thermal deformation.
2. The concrete that surrounds the reinforcement is an excellent
protective covering to retard steel corrosion.
3. The strength of steel decreases when exposed to high temperature but
concrete covering provides sufficient thermal insulation.
4. While concrete is weak in tension, steel resist high tensile stresses.
5. A large number of steel bars is more effective in minimizing crack width
than a few number of large bars having the same total cross-sectional
area. Like, cracks are minimized through the use of deformed bars.

Definition:

1. Deformed bars – are corrugated steel bars for concrete in accordance

with the provisions of ASTM – A615.
2. Dowels – are steel bars provided in concrete for splicing horizontal and
vertical bars for reinforcing concrete hollow blocks.
3. Splice – is the specified length connection or overlapping of steel bars
to be joined for vertical or horizontal member.
4. Lateral ties- are steel bars provided to enclose the vertical
reinforcement in order to hold them in place.
5. Stirrups – are steel bars provided to enclose the horizontal main
reinforcement in order to hold them in place.

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 8 Steel Reinforcement and Fabrication

Identification of Steel Bars

Steel reinforcing bars are provided with distinctive markings identifying

the name of the manufacturer with its initial brand and the bar size number
including the type of steel bars.

Deformed Billet – steel bars for concrete reinforcement shall be in

accordance with the provisions of ASTM- A615, they shall be capable of
being bent to 90 degrees at a min. temperature of 42 deg. without breaking
or cracking transverse to the axis of the bar.

Functions of steel bars for concrete construction are;

1. Column reinforcement
2. Beam reinforcement
3. Slab reinforcement
4. Wall footing and column footing reinforcement
5. CHB reinforcement
6. As lateral ties for column reinforcement
7. As stirrups for beams

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 8 Steel Reinforcement and Fabrication

Philippine Standard Size Compared with ASTM Standard Cross-Sectional

Area

Bar Bar size Nominal Unit Remarks

Designation Cross- Weight
( mm.) sectional (kg/m.) Smaller than ASTM
area By
2 6 0.2827 0.222 10.7%
3 10 0.7854 0.616 10.225%
4 12 1.131 0.887 10.7
5 16 2.011 1.577 1.6%
6 20 3.142 2.463 10.22%
8 25 4.919 3.848 2.9%
9 28 6.157 4.827 4.49%
10 31 8.042 6.305 1.6%
11 35 10.179 7.980 0.97%

Code requirements for Bar Splice, Hooks and Bend

Type of Reinforcement Minimum Splice Length

1. Tension bar 25 x bar size + 150 mm.
2. Compression bar 20 x bar size + 160 mm.

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 8 Steel Reinforcement and Fabrication

Types of hooks commonly adopted during actual construction

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 8 Steel Reinforcement and Fabrication

ACI Code on bar spacing provides that;

1. The min. clear distance between the adjacent steel bars shall not be
less than the normal diameter of the 25 mm. for columns.
2. For two or more layers of beam reinforcement, the clear distance
between layers shall not be less than 25 mm. and the upper layer
should be placed directly above those in the bottom.

3. In case of wall and slab, reinforcement shall be spaced not farther

apart than three times the wall or slab thickness or more than 45
centimeters.
4. Clear spacing between spirals shall not exceed 7.5 or less than 2.5
cm. for 10 mm. dia. steel bar. Spiral splices is 48 bar diameter min. but
not less than 30 cm.
5. Lateral ties shall be at least No. 3 bars not to exceed 16 times the
longitudinal bars or 48 bar diameter or the least dimension of the
column.

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