Mary Anne Anorma

CE 501-CE51FA1

Rebar Manufacturing

In line with the field of engineering, the use of rebar, also called as reinforcement bars or reinforcing
steel, is used to help a reinforced concrete or masonry to carry a tensional load. It is the steel rods that
were installed inside concrete which ensure durable and safe structures that can be used for years.
Rebar typically consists of carbon steel, as this material allows for a stronger bond and tensile strength.
Concrete can only be applied with small amount of tensional load that is why reinforcements were used
to significantly increase the tensile strength of the structure. Rebar were designed in such a way to
promote the bond with concrete.

Manufacturing of rebar is set in accordance with the specification standards which depend on its
purpose. The ASTM A955/A955M Standard Specification for Deformed and Plain Stainless-Steel Bars for
Concrete Reinforcement is the main Standard for stainless steel rebar. Based on the video, I may
conclude that the process of making steel reinforcement can be specified into 3 steps; melting, shaping,
and bundling.

The video start off with the transferring stacks of steel. Heavy duty lifting magnets were used to move
these steels to the manufacturing machines. The magnets were so strong that it can carry a number of
steel at a time. The steel, carbon or alloy, is then melted down to liquid form, which requires an extreme
amount of heat to achieve (1370°C or 2500°F). This gives it complete flexibility so that the metal can be
pulled through tiny slots and shaped according to certain specifications. Some steels are treated with
epoxy to prevent rust from taking hold, while others are left unfinished. It all depends on the
requirements of the job and where they’re destined to be installed. After that, the steel rods were cut
into their desired length and lined down for it to cool down and then bundled right after. Since these
reinforced metal bars are highly hazardous when it comes to installation, their ends are often covered
with plastic caps to prevent accidental harm to construction workers.

Concrete alone is extremely strong under compression but when a tension force is applied to it, it can
fail. This stress can be relieved by strengthening the concrete with reinforcing steel bars or rebar. The
rebar absorbs the tension stress and thereby prevents the concrete from cracking or breaking. It helps
to reduce the cracking and breaking that is common in concrete because of its brittle properties. Also,
the use of steel bars can decrease the size of a load bearing structure while ensuring its durability.

The application of rebar the design of beams, columns, and slabs improves its sustainability. By this, us,
engineers is ensured of our name and the structure that we design is durable to weather and calamity
variation.