Stainless Steel Rebar

AMANDA POINCELOT, NATALIE PACE, KYLE MCKENNA, KEVIN PETRILLO TH DECEMBER 18 , 2013

What is Stainless Steel Rebar?

Large scale infrastructure projects continue to require an increasing demand for life cycle cost analyses. Stainless steel rebar addresses some of the most costly problems associated with Portland cement concrete. As corrosion resistive steel, the rebar can withstand rusting, which in traditional carbon steel rebar often results in concrete cracking. Its use in areas most susceptible to salts, such as seaside communities and heavily salted roads, allow for the concretes life to be extended. Stainless steel rebars popularity continues to grow as engineers seek longer life cycles for Portland cement concrete. Additionally nonmagnetic alloys may be used in buildings with delicate electronic equipment.
Table 1: Mechanical Properties Comparison1

Mechanical Properties
Tensile Strength is calculated from the maximum load that a material can withstand. All stainless steel rebar alloys produce higher tensile strength. Yield Strength is determined from the load that deforms a material 0.2% using the offset method. All stainless steel rebar alloys produce higher yield strength. Elongation is the maximum strain that a material can undergo under an applied load. The elongation for stainless steel rebar showed improved ductility in S30400, S30453, and S31600; duplex stainless steel rebars elongation remained unchanged; S31653 displayed a loss in ductility. Hardness was calculated using the Brinell method to determine the resistance to surface indents, scratches and abrasions. The stainless steel rebar 1 alloys all produced higher hardness values.

Alloy Carbon Steel S30400 Stainless Steel S30453 Stainless Steel S31600 Stainless Steel S31653 Stainless Steel Duplex S31803 Stainless Steel

Tensile Strength (ksi) 78 108 (10% cold work) 106 (10% cold work) 117 (10% cold work) 100 (10% cold work) 99 (no cold work)

Yield Elongation Hardness Strength % in 2" (Brinell) 58 87 73 75 76 70 25 37 37 40 16 25 200 200 200 220 250 290

Physical Properties
The coefficient of thermal expansion shows how a material expands or shrinks under temperature changes. The coefficient of thermal expansion was greater in all stainless steel rebar alloys. The modulus of elasticity is the slope of the elastic portion the stress versus strain curve. The modulus of elasticity was slightly reduced for all stainless steel rebar alloys. The magnetic properties of a metal determine whether it can be used around sensitive electronic equipment. The duplex stainless steel and carbon steel rebar are both magnetic, while the remaining stainless steel rebar alloys are not magnetic. Corrosion resistance is the ability of the rebar to resist rusting due to the oxidation reaction. The stainless steel rebar alloys all show improvement over carbon steel rebar. Pitting corrosion resistance is determined using the pitting resistance equivalent number (PREN), which is a relative value. The stainless steel rebar alloys all show 1 improvements over carbon steel rebar.

Table 2: Physical Properties Comparison1

Coefficient of General Pitting Pitting Modulus of Thermal Expansion Magnetic Corrosion Corrosion Resistance Elasticity (ksi) (in/in/oF) Resistance Resistance Equiv. # (PREN) 6.6 9.5 9.4 9.2 9.2 7.3 30,000 29,000 29,000 29,000 29,000 28,000 Yes No No No No Yes Poor Good Good Good Good Very Good Poor Fair Fair Better Better Very Good 18 21 25 27 36

Alloy Carbon Steel S30400 Stainless Steel S30453 Stainless Steel S31600 Stainless Steel S31653 Stainless Steel Duplex S31803 Stainless Steel

McGurn, J.F. "Stainless Steel Reinforcing Bars in Concrete." Nickel Development Institute, n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2013.

Figure 1: Driscoll Bridge Widening, New Jersey.3

Quality Control, Inspection, Application Requirements

When rebar is being placed, a third party inspector is to be present to ensure quality control. Inspections during placing include: o Checking the spacing and lap spacing o Checking the size of rebar o Cleanliness of the rebar o Looking for knicks in any coating It is important to inspect the spacing and size of rebar to be sure it will behave the way it was designed to. Clean rebar that is free of knicks and scratches is important for how the concrete bonds to the rebar. 2 ASTM Standard A995 states specifications for casting stainless steel rebar.

Long Term Maintenance/Durability

Durability Stainless steel used in rebar is used when extended design life is desired. Stainless Steel is less susceptible to corrosion. Can handle chloride levels up to 7%. Long Design Life (longer than 100 years). The rebar will outlast the concrete Nearly Maintenance free. Once the rebar is in the concrete, there is no more that can be done to the rebar unless it becomes exposed due to concrete cracking. Long Term Maintenance 100+ Design Life requirements. Rarely needs maintenance throughout the years. The concrete around the rebar will fail before 2 the rebar will.

Figure 2: Several sizes of Stainless Steel Rebar4

2 3

Wehls, Jeff. "Stainless Steel Rebar, Whiting-Turner." Personal interview. 6 Dec. 2013. Driscoll Bridge Widening. N.d. Photograph. Coastal Steel Construction of NJ, LLC., New Jersey. http://www.coastalsteelnj.com/projects_transit.html 4 Reinforcing Bar. N.d. Photograph. Cogne Stainless Reinforcement, n.p. http://www.stainless-reinforcement.co.uk/stainless-rebar.html

Advantages
Resistance to Corrosion in Concrete o Shows a higher resistance to different pH values in concrete o Long term resistance to the corrosive attack of chlorides from road salt and the chlorides formed in concrete in which the rebar is buried. o Can use less concrete to cover the area. Stability at Low and High Temperatures o Stainless Steel Rebar is an austenitic stainless steel and can be used in frost and cold environments, which can cause cracking and splitting. o Resistance to heat at elevated temperatures because it is an austenitic stainless steel. Austenitic Stainless Steel Meaning o Contains austenite as their primary phase. o Alloys containing about 18% chromium and 8% nickel. o Not hardened by heat treatment. 7 o Corrosion resistance, heat resistance, creep resistance, nonmagnetic properties. Low magnetic permeability o Can use in projects that can will be affected by disturbances in electromagnetic fields created from sources other than those by the project itself. Examples Include: Hospitals, radio and television stations, banks, and submarine docks. Long Term Cost Advantage o Little to no maintenance over its lifetime. 5 o 100+ year design life requirements.

Figures 3 &4: Images taken by Natalie Pace at a construction site on CU Boulder Campus.

Disadvantages
Higher upfront costs o 2.5 to 4.0 times the cost of carbon steel. o Justified when compared with the initial costs, lifetime maintenance costs, replacement costs, and operating costs incurred when using carbon steel rebar. 6 o Life Cycle Cost Considerations. Difficult to place with concrete.

Magee, John H., and Raymond E. Schnell. "Stainless Steel Rebar for Concrete Reinforcement: An Update and Selection Guide." Carpenter Technical Articles. Carpenter, Oct. 2002. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. <http://www.cartech.com/techarticles.aspx?id=1576>. 6 "Stainless Steel Rebar." CMC MMI RSS. Contractors Materials Company, 2013. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. <http://cmcmmi.com/productsservices/stainless-steel-rebar/>. 7 "Stainless Steel Rebar." Stainless Steel Rebar. Tell Steel, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. <http://www.tellsteel.com/StainlessSteelRebar.html>.

Good Situations When Using MONTH DAY YEAR Stainless Steel Rebar
Stainless steel rebar is primarily used as reinforcement in concrete. Concrete is weak in tension and needs the reinforcement strength that steel can provide. Stainless steel rebar is very effective in corrosive environments. Stainless steel rebar can withstand corrosion and weathering effects without needing a protective coating.

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Bad Situations When Using Stainless Steel Rebar

Not very cost effective as reinforcement in concrete for flat areas such as parking lots. Fiber-mesh reinforcement would be more cost effective while still providing the necessary support for the concrete. Stainless steel rebar would be more expensive to use in a non-corrosive environment. In an environment where corrosion is not an issue, using carbon steel rebar would be more cost effective and 8 provide the same support.

Figures 5: Images taken by Natalie Pace at a construction site on CU Boulder Campus.

Sustainability
Transportation Costs The higher grades of rebar used leads to a reduction in the amount of rebar needed and this leads to lower transportation costs. The lower amount of material also reduces the carbon footprint of the transportation segment. Efficiency The use of rebar leads to a reduction in concrete used, making the structure more efficient. Recyclability Steel from car bodies, appliances, old rebar can be melted down and recycled into new rebar. Typically contains 75% recycled material 100% Recyclability of rebar after its useful life in a structure. Dramatic power and energy savings when rebar is made from recycled steel compared to using the virgin feedstock. Distance from Resources Important to minimize the distance from the source of the steel used for the rebar and the job site To obtain LEED Credits the target radius is within 6 500 miles.

Figures 6: Stainless Steel Rebar bent together.

Additional Information
For additional information on stainless steel rebar, please refer to the referenced footnotes throughout the fact sheet. These references include a variety of stainless steel providers and other rebar research.

Wehls, Jeff. "Stainless Steel Rebar, Whiting-Turner." Personal interview. 6 Dec. 2013.