What About Reinforcement

Why is Reinforcement Important?

Here’s a simply analogy:  think of concrete like muscles and tissue in your body, and steel like the bones.  On its own the muscle and tissue (or concrete) might collapse, but with bones (reinforcements) it holds it shape and carries weight evenly.  They work best together.

Concrete is very strong when it’s being compressed and can handle pushing forces, like holding up weight.  But concrete is weak when it’s being stretched or bent, or what is called tensile strength.  When you put the two together you get material that can handle all kinds of load (weight) and stress.

What Is Reinforced Concrete?

Concrete that is reinforced has steel bars, otherwise known as “rebar.”  The concrete is then poured on top of the rebar which is laid out in a grid pattern and either lifted by hand into the wet concrete as it is placed, or pre-lifted with concrete “chairs” to bring the rebar grid off the ground.

A less desirable method is to utilize wire-mesh.  This option is less effective as it is lightweight and bendable and oftentimes sags to the bottom of the slab.  It is not as strong as rebar, and does little to preventing cracking and provides very limited tensile strength.

Another way to reinforce concrete it to add fiber-mesh directly into the mix itself, then pour it directly onto the prepared ground.  This fiber-mesh consists of tiny synthetic, glass, or steel fibers.  If you look close you can see bits of the fiber-mesh in the wet concrete as it is being poured.

When Is Reinforced Concrete Used?

You’ll find reinforced concrete in these residential uses:

• Building foundations

• Patios

• Slabs and driveways

• Floors

• Retaining walls

What are the Benefits of Reinforced Concrete?

Benefits include improved performance of the slab under heavy loads and stress, and increased crack control and reduced damage over time.

Our Approach to Reinforcement…….

At Concrete Concepts LLC, we choose rebar as our reinforcement option for within the slab.  Rebar is stronger and can handle heavier loads, it can be placed precisely where it is needed, and is more durable and resists cracking longer under tough conditions.

We also choose to use fiber-mesh within the mix itself.  This is an extra step that continues to reinforce the concrete itself aside from what is placed on the prepared ground.  We believe that this aids in minimizing surface cracks, and in preventing spalling, which is a type of deterioration where the top surface breaks away, chips, or flakes off – something that is common in areas where freeze-thaw cycles occur.

Another important note about rebar, while the industry standards for spacing in slabs differs between slab type, load requirements, and local building codes, we follow the widely accepted practices as listed in the ACI (American Concrete Institute) for typical residential slabs, driveways, patios, sidewalks, and slabs on grade.  These call for between 12” to 18” OC (on center).  Our standard is 16” OC on all our jobs, unless otherwise specified and agreed upon.

Finally – the placement of reinforcing material upon which the concrete is poured is also important.  For residential purposes, which is most of what we do, we follow the rule of no less than 1½” of concrete cover (distance from reinforcing material to surface).  This insures protection against corrosion and promotes proper bonding.