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ETN-M-1-13 Introduction To Steel Reinforcing Bar Splices
ETN-M-1-13 Introduction To Steel Reinforcing Bar Splices
Introduction to Steel
Reinforcing Bar Splices
Objective Steel reinforcing fabricating shops, using the
stock on hand, are normally limited to bar lengths
The purpose of this Technical Note is to offer of 60 feet [18.3 m]. Bending equipment and its
an introduction to steel reinforcing bar splices location in the shop may also impose limitations
and is intended primarily to readers with limited on the length of bent bars.
experience with this subject. A more in-depth dis-
cussion can be found in the references listed at When shipping bars by truck, physical limita-
the end of this technical note, including CRSI’s tions for maximum length and width must be con-
publication Reinforcing Bars: Anchorages and sidered. Maximum length, in addition to mill and
Splices (2008), where extensive design tables fabricating shop limits, is based on the number of
and detailed design examples can be found. bars involved, the route from the fabrication shop
to the jobsite, the availability of trucking equip-
Background ment as well as material handling limitations at
the jobsite.
The structural analysis of reinforced con-
crete structures subjected to various external
loads and internal forces is generally predicated Splicing of Reinforcing Bars
on the assumption that the individual structural The Building Code Requirements for Struc-
members behave monolithically, as a unit. Due to tural Concrete, ACI 318-11 (2011) defines splice
practical limitations, the actual structure must be requirements in terms of the type of load on the
built piece-by-piece, story-by-story, and connect- splice – tension or compression. The minimum
ed together. Just as it is physically impossible to requirements associated with lap splices, me-
place all concrete in one continuous operation, chanical splices and welded splices are also
it is impossible to provide full-length, continuous outlined for each type of splice method.
reinforcing bars throughout any sizeable struc-
ture. Splices of reinforcing bars are unavoidable.
Properly designed splices are a key component
Lap Splices – Tension
in a well-executed design. In a tension lap splice the force in the reinforc-
ing bars is transferred to the concrete by bond
Because splices are essential to the mono- which in turn transfers the force back to the adja-
lithic behavior of the finished structure, the Li- cent reinforcing bars resulting in a continuous line
censed Design Professional (LDP) should be of reinforcement. As a result of this interaction the
familiar with the practical limitations of furnish- length of the lap splice varies depending on con-
ing and installing reinforcing bars. These limita- crete strength, grade of steel reinforcement, bar
tions occur during manufacture, fabrication and size, location and spacing. CRSI’s Reinforcing
transportation to the jobsite and installation at Bars: Anchorage and Splices manual includes ta-
the jobsite. Most steel mills produce reinforcing bles of required tension lap splice lengths based
bars to a standard maximum stock length of 60 on these variables.
feet [18.3 m]. Longer lengths generally require
special arrangements with the fabricator and Tension splices should be confined with trans-
mill. The absolute maximum length varies from verse reinforcement and if possible, located in
mill to mill. zones of low tensile stresses, such as inflection
points (i.e., location of curvature reversal with zero flex- creased 20 percent for a 3-bar bundle and 33 percent for
ural moment). This is intended to mitigate splice failure a 4-bar bundle. Lap splices of bundled bars should be
at the end of the splice resulting from splitting stresses securely wire-tied together to maintain the alignment of
in the concrete and associated loss of cover due to the the bars and to provide minimum concrete cover.
outwardly radial force transfer between the bar and the
concrete. Lap Splices – Compression
Tension lap splices are designated as Class B splices In a compression lap splice, the force transfer mecha-
with a splice length of 1.3 x ℓd (development length), ex- nism occurs primarily through bearing at the end of the
cept where Class A splices (1.0 x ℓd) are permitted, ac- bar. Given this type of transfer and the fact that no split-
cording to Section 12.15.2 of ACI 318. ting stresses are present due to the compression nature
of the force in the bar, this type of splice requires much
Tension splices are further divided into Contact lap shorter lengths as compared to tension lap splices.
splices and Non-Contact lap splices. The former is a When bars of different sizes are lap-spliced in compres-
type of lap splice in which the bars touch and are wired sion, the lap splice length must be the larger of the com-
together – are preferred because they are more secure pression development length of the larger bar and the
against displacement during construction while the lat- compression lap splice length of the smaller bar.
ter is a type of lap splice where the spacing between
the bars should not exceed a maximum of 1/5 of the lap Mechanical Splices
length, but not more than 6 inches [150 mm], as shown
There are two basic categories of mechanical splices:
in Figure 1.
•T
ension-compression, which can resist both ten-
sile and compressive forces, and
•C
ompression only, which are also known as “end-
bearing” mechanical splices and transfer compres-
sive force from bar to bar.
Lap splices of bundled bars should be based on the Figure 2 — Cold-swaged coupling sleeve
lap splice length recommended for individual bars of the
same size, and individual splices within the bundle should
not overlap each other. The length of lap should be in-
Figure 7 — Shear screw coupling sleeve Figure 9 — Straight thread coupler with upset bar ends
Figure 8 — Steel-filled coupling sleeve Upset Straight Thread Coupler – This is a me-
chanical splice consisting of a coupler with internal
straight threads at each end that joins two upset end
Shear-cut, flame-cut, or saw-cut ends of the reinforcing bars with matching external threads. Up-
bar can be used as the “steel filler” fills the space setting the bar ends permits the cross-sectional area
between the ends of the bars, however, a bar-end in the threaded portion to be greater than the bar
check is recommended. cross-sectional area.
Straight Thread Coupler with Upset Bar Ends – This type of splice can either be in three pieces
This mechanical splice consists of forming heads (the two bar ends and internally threaded coupler)
on the ends of the reinforcing bars to be con- or in two pieces with the coupler integrally forged
nected using a hydraulic machine from the splice or pre-assembled onto one bar end. These systems
manufacturer. This splice is designed to fit be- are also available as weld-on couplers, transitional
tween closely-spaced bars. The upset bar ends couplers, positional couplers, and headed bars.
Contributors: The principal authors of this publication are Robert Hall, Craig Guy, Donald Meinheit
and Michael Mota with review by members of the CRSI Reinforcement Anchorages and Splices
Committee.
Reference: Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute - CRSI [2013], “Introduction to Steel Reinforcing 933 North Plum Grove Rd.
Bar Splices,” CRSI Technical Note ETN-M-1-13, Schaumburg, Illinois, 6 pp. Schaumburg, IL 60173-4758
p. 847-517-1200 • f. 847-517-1206
Note: This publication is intended for the use of professionals competent to evaluate the signifi- www.crsi.org
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material it contains. The Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute reports the foregoing material as Regional Offices Nationwide
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reproduced without the expressed written consent of CRSI.