FIELD HANDLING TECHNIQUES AND

COMPARISON FOR EPOXY COATED

AND STEEL REINFORCEMENT BARS
BY
UNLOADING AND STACKING:

DO NOT UNLOAD ON GROUND AND STACK THE COATED BAR BUNDLES ON SUITABLE MATERIAL LIKE WOODEN
SPACERS. IF THE COATED BARS ARE TO BE EXPOSED OUTDOORS FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS, THEY SHOULD BE
COVERED WITH A SUITABLE OPAQUE MATERIAL TO MINIMIZE CONDENSATION. STACK COATED AND UNCOATED
BARS SEPERATELY.

DO DO NOT
CUTTING ENDS:

THE COATED BARS SHOULD NOT BE CUT WITH A GAS CUTTER. THEY SHOULD BE CUT WITH CUTTING MACHINE OR WITH
SIMILAR EQUIPMENTS WHICH GIVES A CLEAN CUT ENDS. THE CUT END SHOULD BE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY WITH PATCH UP
COMPOUND SUPPLIED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

DO DO NOT
BENDING:

THE COATED BENT BARS USING BENDING MACHINE OR BENDING PIN, SUFFICIENT PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN FOR
AVOIDING RUBBING OF COATED AGAINST METAL OF BENDING EQUIPMENT. IN CASE OF BENDING MACHINE THE MANDREL
SHOULD BE COVERED WITH PVC COVER. IF PIN IS USED FOR BENDING, IT SHOULD BE PLAIN PIN AND NOT RIBBED BAR AND
IT SHOULD BE COVERED WITH A SLEEVE. THE SURFACE ON WHICH COATED BAR IS PLACED FOR BENDING SHOULD BE
SMOOTH ENOUGH. THE CROW BAR IT SELF SHOULD BE COVERED BY COATED SLEEVE WHICH WAS SUPPLIED BY
MANUFACTURER.
DO DO NOT
FABRICATION:

NO METALLIC SHUTTERING OR STAGING MATERIAL, BARE PIPES, CUTTING, BENDING TOOLS ETC, SHOULD BE
DROPPED OR DRAGGED ON THE COATED BARS. PLASTIC BAR SUPPORTS MAY BE USED FOR EPOXY COATED BAR
SUPPORTS SO THAT THE COATING DOES NOT GET DAMAGED.

DO DO NOT
WELDING:

THOUGH THE COATING IS INSULATED, WELDING CAN BE DONE BY REMOVING VERY SMALL AREA OF COATING
TO ALLOW CURRENT TO PASS THROUGH FOR WELDING. WHEN WELD WORK COMPLETED THE AREA SHOULD
BE CLEANED WITH WIRE BRUSH AND GET IT PATCHED UP IMMEDIATELY.

DO DO NOT
USAGE OF COATED BINDING WIRE:

USE ONLY NON CORROSIVE PVC COATED BINDING WIRE SUPPLIED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO AVOID DAMAGE
OF COATED BARS. ONLY COATED BINDING WIRE SHOULD BE USED FOR TYING THE COATED BARS TO ELIMINATE
ANY DAMAGE TO THE COATING AS WELL AS TO PREVENT CORROSION TO THESE WIRES. THE BINDING OVER
THE BAR SHOULD BE JUST SUFFICIENT, SHOULD NOT BE TOO LOSS OR TOO TIGHT.

DO DO NOT
 COMPARISON AND BENEFITS:
STEEL RE-BARS
• A concrete cover depth as high as 70 mm was
found to be inadequate to protect the steel
under both natural and accelerated corrosion
tests.
• Steel commonly used for structural steelwork
do not perform well in concrete containing
moisture and chloride.
• Steel bars showed extensive and deep rusting
under natural marine exposure conditions. Steel
rebar's are not suitable for reinforcement and
due to lack of protection film being developed
these steel are subject to pitting and crevice
corrosion in presence of chloride specified As
per Amendment No.2 May 2002 To IS 1786:1985
Specification for High Strength Deformed Steel
Bars and Wires for Concrete Reinforcement
(Third Revision).
EPOXY COATED RE-BARS
• Epoxy coated bars with a coating thickness of
200-300 microns remained practically
unaffected under accelerated conditions also
with a cover of 20mm.
• Further, the rate of corrosion damage was far
less than that of comparable with steel rebar's
and galvanized rebar's.
• In cracked concrete with chloride contaminated
aggregates and mixed with sea water the
epoxy coated rebar's showed excellent
performance compared to steel rebar's and
remained in good condition.
 SCIENTIFIC APPROVAL

NORMAL
UNCOATED RE- CORROSION HOT DIP
TESTINGS STAINLESS FUSION BONDED
BAR STEELS. RESISTANT GALVANIZED
STEELS. EPOXY COATING.
STEELS. STEELS.

The steel rein-forcement To protect steel Hot-dip galvanized Stainless steel is Application of fusion
bars usually consists of reinforcing bars steel is produced by an alloy steel bonded Epoxy coating
shape and size that they from corrosion by dipping bare steel in containing iron to steel reinforcing
may easily be bent and adding low a bath of molten zinc and chromium. bars to protect the steel
placed in the concrete so alloying elements metal. A protective from corrosion in a
as to form a monolithic to the steel. coating is formed by moist, humid, &
structure. a metallurgical aggressive
BASIC
reaction between iron environment.
CONCEPT
and zinc, providing
both a barrier and
cathodic protection
that protets steel
from corrosion
 NORMAL UNCOATED
CORROSION HOT DIP
TESTINGS RE-BAR STEELS. STAINLESS FUSION BONDED
RESISTANT GALVANIZED
STEELS. EPOXY COATING.
STEELS. STEELS.

Quenched and self Copper plugs

tempered (QST) steel pores in the rust. The process of hot-dip Because of the FBEC acts as a perfect
bars were introduced Phosphorous in the galvanizing results in chromium content, barrier to the agents of
during late 1970s. These form of P2O5 acts a metallurgical bond usually 12-20 corrosion, viz oxygen,
steel bars are popularly as an inhibitor and between zinc and steel percent of the chloride, moisture and
known in India as thermo chromium helps in with a series of alloy, stainless the flow of electrons.
mechanical treated spinel oxide layer distinct iron-zinc steel has excellent
(TMT) steel rebars. Rapid (Fe. Cr2O3) alloys. resistance to stain
quenching provides formation leading and rust.
intensive cooling of to reduction in
TECH-NOLOGY surface resulting in the corrosion rate.
steel bars having
hardened surface due to
the martensitic structure
with hot core.
 NORMAL CORROSION HOT DIP
UNCOATED RE- STAINLESS FUSION BONDED
TESTINGS RESISTANT GALVANIZED
BAR STEELS. STEELS. EPOXY COATING.
STEELS. STEELS.

The steel reinforcement Low alloying The surface of the Annealing is the The surface of the bar
bars are to be clean and elements like steel reinforcing bar most common is cleaned by abrasive
free of all deleterious Copper, is cleaned by sand method which is blasting. The bar is
matter and cleaned by Phosphorous, blasting. Dust and used to soften ss than preheated (180 –
means of water jetting, Silicon, residue from the to make them 230°C). Epoxy coating
degreasing or other Chromium, prepared surface is easier for cold is applied on to the
method if required as the Nickle are added blown off with clean working. For heated bars by spraying
presence of the above in small quantities dry air, ferric and electro - statically
have an adverse effect on to the steel during The primer is applied austenitic process charged epoxy powder
METHOD the bond of manufacturing on to the prepared heats them until on it.
TESTINGS reinforcement to process. surface by either recrystallization
concrete. brushing or dipping. occurs and the
Application of sealer size of the steel is
coat is applied after increased.
30 minutes either by
brushing or dipping.
 NORMAL CORROSION HOT DIP
STAINLESS FUSION BONDED
TESTINGS UNCOATED RESISTANT GALVANIZED
STEELS. EPOXY COATING.
RE-BAR STEELS. STEELS.
STEELS.

1. Applicability of N. A N. A ISO 1461 N.A IS 13620

national/international ASTM A 775/ 775
standards.
2. Adhesion to substrate. N.A N.A Poor N.A Excellent
3. Abrasion resistance test. N.A N.A Not known Not Known Passes within acceptable limits.
4. Bond with concrete. Good Good Good Not known Passes within acceptable limit.
5. Flexibility Good Good Poor N.A Excellent
6. Weldability Not safe. Good Uncertain N.A Good
7. Resistance to alkaline Not Safe Not Safe Not Safe Not Known Very safe
environment.
8. Resistance to acidic Not Known Not Known Variable Not Known Safe
environment
9. Durability in most Not durable without Not durable without Generally not durable. May reduce rate of Very good Durability.
aggressive environment Epoxy coating. Epoxy coating. corrosion with time.
10. Resistance to pitting Very poor in Very poor in Poor Varies from system N.A. Excellent
corrosion concrete concrete to system.
11. Coating thickness N.A N.A Not done N.A Uniform
12. Continuity of coating N.A N.A Not known N.A Meets std requirement.
13. Chloride permeability N.A N.A Poor Not known Meets std. requirement.
14. Cathodic disbondment N.A N.A Poor N.A Meets std requirement.
15. Impact test N.A. N.A. Poor Not known Meets std requirement
16. Salt spray Poor Poor High. N.A Meets std requirement
17.Cost Analysis. High. High. Very high. Economic.
 NORMAL CORROSION HOT DIP
UNCOATED STAINLESS FUSION BONDED
PICTURES OF TMT RESISTANT GALVANIZED
STEELS. EPOXY COATING.
RE-BAR STEELS. STEELS. STEELS.
BARS
 RESISTANCE TO APPLIED VOLTAGE TEST
TEST DURATION THIRTY DAYS BUT WE GET THIS RESULT IN A WEEK
 SALT WATER TEST
DURATION TWO DAYS