APPROPRIATE GRADE OF REBAR FOR REINFORCED

CONCRETE IN SEISMIC REGION

Engr. Mohiuddin Ahmed [F-2038]

Managing Director, Engineering Planning Consultancy Team, Sylhet, Bangladesh

SUMMARY
3 grades—40, 60, 75—of Reinforcement are in use in present construction industry. Bangladesh
National Building Code [BNBC] specifies the use of 40 and 60 grades of rebar. The author
reviews relevant literatures to find appropriate grade of reinforcement. It is explored: In seismic
regions only 40 grade rebar satisfy the ductility requirement and is specified for use.
Nevertheless in non-seismic zone 60 and 75 grade rebar can better be used. Bangladesh lies
wholly in seismic region and divided in 3 zones. The author is trying to focus the issue and is
convinced to recommend 40 grade rebar as appropriate for Bangladesh construction industry
for all load sharing elements—emphatically Building and Bridge. However, for high rise
building/ Bridge column 60 grade rebar may be economically appropriate, specifically
Ground floor column.

Key words: BNBC [Bangladesh Building Code], ACI Code [American Concrete Institute Code]

1. INTRODUCTION:

Bangladesh National Building Code says [clause 8.3.3.5]: ‘Reinforcement in Members

Resisting Earthquake Induced Forces: Reinforcement with fy=275 N/mm2 and fy=410 N/
mm2 are allowed.’

In the market Rebar manufacturer marketing 60 and 75 grade rebar, telling the consumer: 60
grade re-bars are better than 40 grade and 75 grade is the best in sustaining against
earthquake.

From literature review the author explores 40 grade rebar is more ductile and Earthquake
engineering textbooks and Earthquake engineering code only specifies 40 grade rebar in
seismic region.

Bangladesh lies wholly in seismically active region and is divided in 3 zones having
individual seismic coefficient. If earthquake engineering Code does not permit using higher
grade than 40 BNBC should consider to restrict the use of same in Bangladesh.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW:

i. Priestly says:
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  The prime source of ductility of reinforced concrete and masonry structural element is the
ability of reinforcing steel to sustain repeated load cycles to high levels of plastic strain
without significant reduction in stress. Figure 1 indicates that typically, ultimate strain and
the length of yield plateau decrease as yield strength increases.

Fig.1 Typical stress-strain curves for reinforcing steel taken from Priestley [Ref-5]

Of particular concern in the United States is the practice of designing reinforcing steel that has
failed acceptance level of grade 60 (415 MPa) strength as grade 40 (275 MPa)
reinforcement for structural usage. This provides reinforcement with nominal yield strength
275 MPa (40 Ksi), but typical yield strength in the range 380 to 400 MPa (55 to 58 Ksi).
For the reason discussed above, such reinforcement should not be used in seismic regions.

[Ref-1, Pg—115to 116]

 Because of drift limit, slender columns cannot be used for seismic dominated ductile frames.
Therefore, it is often found that columns are large enough to resist the specified earthquake
forces with steel contents in the range: 0.01≤ pt ≥0.03.

 Either mild steel or high strength steel may be used for column reinforcement. Generally,
the later ( fy = 400 MPa, U.S. grade 60) will be more economical.
[Ref-1, Pg—115,116,230]

ii. Winter says:

 Low-carbon steels, typified by the Grade 40 curve, show an elastic portion followed by a
yield plateau, i.e., a horizontal portion of the curve where strain continues to increase at
constant stress. For such steels the yield point is that stress at which the yield plateau
established itself. With further strains the stress begins to increase again, though at a slower
rate, a process that is known as strain-hardening. The curve flattens out when the tensile
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 strength is reached; it then turns down until fracture occurs. Higher strength carbon steels,
e.g., those with 60 ksi yield stress or higher, either have a yield plateau of much shorter
length or enter strain-hardening immediately without any continued yielding at constant
stress.

 ‘Use of high strength steel, which has limited ductility, should be avoided in seismic regions
of high risk.’ [Ref—2, Pg. 259, 260]

iii) Arnaldo says: In the “strong column-weak beam” frame intended by the code, the
relationship between the moment capacities of columns and beams may be upset if the
beams turn out to have much greater moment capacity than intended by the designer. Thus,
the substitution of 60 ksi steel of the same area for specified 40 ksi steel in beam can be
detrimental. [Ref—3, Pg-306]]

vi) ACI code specifies: However, ASTM 615 billet steel bars of 40 or 60 grade may be used
provided the following two criteria are satisfied:

 (actual fy) ≤ (specified fy) + 18,000 psi

 Actual ultimate tensile stress ≥ 1.25
Actual fy
The second requirement is intended to insure reinforcement with a sufficiently long yield plateau.
[Ref—4]

v) Priestley and Calvy say— Properties of reinforcing steel specified for seismic design of
bridges in Europe require an ultimate strain of €u ≥ 0.09, a minimum ratio ultimate to yield
stress fu/ fy ≥ 1.2 and an actual yield strength no more than 20 % above the nominal yield
strength. [Ref—5, Pg-274]

vi) Hugo Bachmann says— Ductile steel with Rm/ Re= strain hardening ratio ≥ 1.15, Agt ≥ 6
%, where Rm, Re and Agt are maximum tensile stress, yield stress and total elongation at
maximum stress is recommended . [Ref—6, Pg-56]

vii) Murty, says—Steel by nature is far more ductile than even confined concrete. But mild steel
with its lower carbon content and simplified manufacture is more ductile than high strength
steel. Mild steel can stretch a lot more than high strength steel before breaking, but of course
more mild steel reinforcement is needed to achieve the same bending strength as high
strength reinforced member. [Ref—7, Pg-311]

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 viii) Clause 7.1.3. of Indian standard—4326 on “Ductile detailing of Reinforced Concrete
Structures” says: Steel reinforcement of grade Fee 500 shall not be used in seismic zone iv
and v. Ref—8]

xi) Bosunia says:

 Under special circumstances steel in this higher strength range has its place, e.g, in lower
storey columns of high-rise buildings.
 Low alloy, high strength steels rarely show any yield plateau and usually enter strain
hardening immediately upon beginning to yield.
 ACI Appendix A or, seismic design requires the use of A706 bars or A615 bars meeting
special requirements.
 Generally speaking, the 40 ksi reinforcement is the most ductile of all the grades. At various
times high strength deformed bars with yield strengths of 75 0r 80 ksi have been used as
reinforcement in columns.
 High strength bars, Grade 75 and Grade 90 generally do not have a well-defined yield point.
 When the high strength steel such as grade 75 and higher is used in reinforced concrete the
normal hair cracks open up to excessive widths. The possibility led to the use of grade 75
steels in the columns for a reasonable time. With the use of such high grade steel the total
reinforcement in columns is reduced.
[Ref—9, Pg-10, 11, 17]

x) Bangladesh National Building Code species reinforcement in clause 8.3.3.5: Reinforcement

in Members Resisting Earthquake induced Forces—Reinforcement with fy+ 275 N/ mm 2 and
fy=410 N/ mm2 are allowed in these members if (a) the actual yield strength based on mill
tests does not exceed the specified yields strength by more than 125 N/ mm 2 (retests shall not
exceed this value by more than an additional 20 N/ mm 2), and (b) the ratio of the actual
ultimate tensile strength to the actual tensile yield strength is not less than 1.25.
[Ref—10]

3. Discussion
From the literature review, as above, brief findings for appropriate rebar grade in seismic zone
are:
 BNBC recommends either 40 or 60 grade rebar for construction.
 Other than BNBC universal recommendation for rebar is explored:
o 60 grade for column.
o 40 grade for all other load bearing members—Foundation, Beam, Slab.
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 o 75 or higher grade is not allowed
Bangladesh lies in seismically active zone. BNBC specification is contradicting universal
specification for rebar use.
Rebar producers are marketing 60 and 75 grade rebar with the attractive message that these
grades of rebar are appropriate for sustainability against earth quake forces. The author begs
to submit that 75 grade neither qualify BNBC code nor global earthquake code, 60 grade
though allowed by BNBC, but unspecified globally excepting for column.

4. Cost implication of different grade rebar in reinforced concrete:

Minimum spacing of stirrup for Beam and ring for Column always governs, as per
earthquake code, rather than the spacing determined as per shear design. In that case 40 grade
smaller size rebar is economic. Closer spacing of stirrup and ring rather than size and
strength is emphasised in the code.

For Shrinkage rebar in Slab, minimum spacing governs, which led to the use of 40 grade as
economic.

Strong column/ weak Beam earthquake philosophy demands extra wider column to avoid
slenderness and to provide extra stiffness. This results minimum size of column in earthquake
zone is bigger than non-earthquake zone.

As such for low rise building column, up to 4 storeys, minimum No. and percentage of main
rod dictates that commands use of 40 grades as economic.

Nevertheless, for high rise building, for the lower level, particularly in ground floor, there
could be congestion of rod if 40 grade rods are used, in such case in lower levels only, may be
ground floor, 60 grade may find economic use. Additionally, as Column is primarily a
compression member high strength steel use might not have any detrimental implication.

Minimum No. defined percentage and minimum spacing mostly governs for Foundation
members, emphatically— Raft foundation, Pile—which warrants 40 grade usages as
economic.

5. Conclusion

The author, referring literature review recommends:

 75 grade rebar should not be used in Bangladesh. Steel producers be barred by Govt. to
produce same.
 BNBC may consider to specify grade of rebar for Building and Bridge, as below:

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 o 60 grade for column main rod.
o 40 grade for all other members—Foundation, Beam and Slab main rod.
o 40 grade for
 shrinkage/ distributor rod for Slab & Foundation
 Stirrup for Beam and Ring for Column.

References:

1. T. Paulay and M.J.N. Priestley, “Seismic Design of Reinforced Concrete and Masonry
Buildings”, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1990
2. Arthur H. Nilson and George Winter, “Design of Concrete Structures, McGraw-Hill, Tenths
edition
3. Arnaldo T. Derecho, “Seismic Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures, Chapter 9, Forhad
Naeim, “ The Seismic Design Hand book”
4. ACI Code
5. M.J.N.Priestley, F. Seible & G.M. Calvi. |Seismic Design and Retrofit of Bridges”.
6. Hugo Bachmann, “Seismic conceptual design of Buildings—Basic principles for engineers,
architects, building owners, and authorities”
7. C.V.R.Murty, Andrew W.Dharleson, “Earthquake Design Concepts”
8. Indian Standard: 4326, “Ductile detailing of Reinforced Concrete Structures”
9. M. Shamim Z. Bosunia, “Design of Reinforced C0oncrete Structures and Use of Various
Grades of Reinforcing Steel”
10. Bangladesh National Building Code, 1993.