REINFORCED CONRETE

CONSTRUCTION
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lecture students are expected to
be able to:
• Explain the properties of reinforced concrete
• Explain the process of reinforced concrete
production (i.e., batching, mixing, pouring,
compacting and curing)
• Explain the advantages and disadvantages of
using reinforced concrete in construction
projects.
 Contents:
• Introduction
• Advantages and Disadvantages of RC Frames
• RC vs Steel as a Building Frame
• Components of Reinforced Concrete
- Concrete
- Formwork
- Reinforcement

• RC Construction Method
 Reinforced Concrete
• Reinforced concrete is concrete in
which reinforcement bars ("rebars")
or fibers have been incorporated to
strengthen a material that would
otherwise be brittle.

• Elements of Reinforced Concrete

(RC):
- Concrete
- Reinforcement
- Formwork
 Reinforced Concrete
Design of Superstructures
The "loading” occur at many points in the superstructure

Design of superstructure must consider to safely transfer

these loads from their points of application to the points of
support i.e. Substructure / foundation

Superstructure generally carry loads (dead and live) and

transfer them to the substructure

Superstructure and substructure are generally designed to

operate as one unit
 Advantages of RC Frames
i. Greater flexibility in planning and design
ii. Can be form into any shape
iii. No mechanical lifting plant needed as for steel structure
iv. Concrete weakness in tension can be resolved by introducing
steel reinforcement.
v. More economical with the right design
 Disadvantages of RC Frames
i. Weather condition may hinder the progress of construction
ii. Freedom to cast concrete into any shape limited by the
construction of formwork.
iii. The inherent rigidity of concrete frame can be a disadvantage
as it is less able to accommodate any movement.
iv. Wet construction
R.C. Concrete vs Steel as a Building Frame
RC FRAME STEEL FRAME

1. Wet construction 1. Dry construction

2. In-situ 2. Pre-fabricated components &

assemble at site
3. Labour intensive 3. Plant intensive

4. Skilled/semi-skilled, general labour 4. Skilled/Specialist

5. Flexibility in design 5. Limited design choice

6. Longer construction period 6. Faster construction period

7. More tradesman involved 7. Less tradesman involved

 Concrete
• Concrete is a construction material composed of cement (commonly Portland
cement), coarse aggregate such as gravel limestone or granite, and fine aggregate
such as sand)

• Water and other chemical admixtures are added to create the chemical reaction for
the materials to bind together.

• Concrete solidifies and hardens after mixing with water and placement due to a
chemical process known as hydration.

• The water reacts with the cement, which bonds the other components together,
eventually creating a stone-like material.

• The reactions are highly exothermic and care must be taken that the build-up in heat
does not affect the integrity of the structure.

• Concrete are good in compression but are poor in tension and shear

• The inclusion of reinforcement off-sets the poor resistance to shear and tension in
concrete
 Concrete
Factors Affecting the Properties of Concrete

• Water cement ratio

• Types of cement used

• Types and size of aggregates

• Use of admixtures

• Water
 Concrete
Grade Mix Usage (cement:sand:aggregates)

10 1:4:8 Roughest type of mass concrete e.g blinding

15 1:3:6 Rough types of mass concrete e.g mass conc. footing &
blinding

20 1:2:4 Most commonly used grade of concrete e.g reinforced conc .

works

25 1:1 ½:3 RC where extra strength is req. e.g water tight floor, walls, tanks

30 1:1:2 Work of thin section e.g small precast work

 Concrete
Cement

Characteristic of cement depends on:

a) Proportion of the compound of the raw materials

b) Fineness of grinding of the clinker

Commonly used cement are:-

a) Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)

b) Rapid hardening Portland Cement

 Concrete
Other types of Cement

• Extra Rapid Hardening Portland Cement

• Low Heat Portland Cement

• Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement

 Reinforced Concrete
Aggregate (specification)
• Must be strong and clean

• Occupy at least ¾ of the volume of concrete

• Volume for volume , cement is more expansive than aggregate

• Therefore, advantageous to use as little cement but not to weaken
the strength of the concrete
 Concrete
Aggregate

• Sand (fine aggregate) and gravel (Coarse

aggregate) = cheapest and most
commonly used

• Crushed rock aggregate – very expansive

• Artificial aggregate from blast furnace

slag
 Concrete
Water/Cement Ratio
• Water is added for 2 reasons:-

a) Enable reaction with cement which causes

setting and hardening

b) Act as lubricant to render the mix sufficiently

plastic for placing and compaction

• Sufficient volume of water should be used to have

reasonable degree of workability

• Excess volume of water will reduced ultimate

strength of concrete (water occupies space of
evaporation created a void)
 Concrete
Workability
• Ease or difficulty with which the concrete is handle, transported
and placed between the forms with minimum loss of
homogeneity

• Too wet – coarse aggregate will settle at the bottom (non-

uniform composition)

• Too dry – difficult to handle and placed

 Concrete
Mixing
• Should be mixed thoroughly – to ensure
cement water paste completely covers the
surface of aggregate.

• Methods used:-
a) Hand mixing – on clean surface
- Thoroughly mixed
- Must be used within 45 min after
adding water
- Used for small work

b) Machine mixing
- More efficient and better quality
- Various capacity of machine available
- Must be consumed within 45 minutes
 Concrete
Transporting
• Equipment used for transporting –
bucket, chutes, dumper, truck mixer,
conveyor belt, pump, hoist etc.

• Avoid segregation
 Concrete
Placing
• Surface to receive concrete must
cleaned, well prepared and watered

• As near as practicable to its

position

• In small quantity at a time to

prevent uniform composition
 Concrete
Placing
• Should not be dropped from high point (to prevent
segregation)

• Deposited in horizontal layers max. 600mm

• Well worked out around reinforcement

• Carried out uninterrupted between predetermine

construction joint
 Concrete
Consolidation
• Aim - to eliminate air bubbles thus
giving max. density of concrete (5%
void reduces 30% strength of
concrete)

• Method used:-
a) Hand consolidation - ramming,
tamping, spading and slicing with
suitable tools
b) Vibrators – most effective method
 Concrete
Curing
• Keeping the concrete surface wet for a
certain period after placing
• Purpose:-
a. Curing protects concrete surface
from sun and wind (prevent quick
evaporation)
b. Presence of water is essentials to
cause chemical actions which
accompanies the setting of concrete
c. Proper curing increase the strength
and properties of concrete
 Concrete
Why should concrete be cured?
- Curing is essential to the achievement of good quality concrete.

- It is a simple process, frequently overlooked to the detriment of long-term durability

and the wear resistance of the slab.

- The purpose of curing is to ensure that the concrete does not dry out prematurely

- With retention of moisture concrete will build up strength and gain durability and
resistance to wear.

- The concrete should be kept continuously damp for at least 7 days to achieve
satisfactory curing.

- The easiest method is to cover the concrete with plastic sheeting immediately after
finishing.

- Steam curing
 Concrete Quality Checklist
a) Mix that can be readily placed and compacted

b) Mix that have good workability

c) After compaction the concrete is free from void (all this
affected by the grading of the aggregate and
water/cement ratio)
 Concrete
Properties of Concrete:-
a) High compressive strength

b) Free from corrosion

c) Hardens with age

d) Generally more economical
compared to steel
e) Weak in tension

f) Porous (due to presence of void)

 Formwork
Temporary mould into which wet concrete & reinforcement are placed to form a

particular desired shape:

FORMWORK MATERIALS

PLYWOOD TIMBER STEEL C/BOARD POLYSTYRENE

Wrot Sawn
 Formwork
i) Strength
- Must be strong enough to withstand the pressure of
plastic concrete and to ,maintain their shape during
the placing of concrete

ii) Rigidity
- Rigid enough to prevent excessive deflection during
placing of concrete

iii) Tightness
- Must be tight enough to prevent wet concrete from
leaking through joints and causing unsightly fins and
ridges

iv) Simplicity
- Must be as simple to build as circumstances will allow
(simple and orderly in erection and stripping)

v) Easy Handling
- Easy to handle
 Formwork
vi) Size
- Must be of a size that can be lifted into place without too
much difficulty
vii) Fit
- Must be made to fit and fasten together with reasonable
ease
viii) Removal
- May be removed or stripped without damage to the
hardened concrete or to the formwork itself
ix) Quality
- The quality of the material to be used (in relation of the
concrete finish-smooth finish)
x) Safety
- The safety of the formwork systems in supporting a
regular load of concrete, man and equipments)
xi) Cost
- The economics of formwork with the aim of reducing cost
(designed formwork-techniques of erection and stripping)
 Formwork
Basic Design Considerations:
• Basic consideration in form design is “strength” i.e. the ability to support (without
excessive deflections) all loads and forces imposed during construction.

• 2 main problems in formwork design:

i) Horizontal forms – must support gravity loads based on the mass of the concrete, the
construction crew, and the weight of the formwork itself (plus reinforcement)
ii) Vertical forms – must primarily resist lateral pressures due to a particular height of
plastic concrete (pushing outwards), and wind pressure)

• Formwork loads - 2 types of gravity loads:-

i) Dead loads : weight of the formwork and the plastic concrete (plus the
reinforcement)
ii) Live loads : weight of the workers and equipment
 Formwork
Concrete Pressure
The lateral pressure exerted by plastic concrete on vertical formwork is rather complex in
nature and is affected by several factors:-
i) The freshly placed concrete initially acts as a liquid, exerting fluid or hydrostatic
pressure against vertical form

ii) The rate of placement – the greater the height to which concrete is placed while the
whole mass remains in the liquid stage, the greater the lateral pressure at the
bottom of the form

iii) The temperature of concrete at atmosphere-they affect the setting time

iv) Vibration increases lateral pressures because the concrete is consolidated and act as
fluid for the full depths of vibration

v) The consistency of fluidity of the mix, the maximum aggregate size and the amount
and location of reinforcement
 Formwork
Cost Implications
Factors that will influence the cost of formwork:-
i) Complexity of structure (eg. Flat roof slab vs. dome roof slab)
ii) Height above ground level
iii) Difficulty in placing and compacting concrete
iv) Repetition opportunities for formwork (reuse)
v) Rationalization of dimensions (standardization)
vi) Protection of the formwork face (apply oil or other substance)
vii) Time involved in the “turn-around” of forms (complete time taken up by
erecting, placing, curing, stripping – depends on spec., height of pour,
striking time, lifting equipment)
viii) Simple formwork design (easy fixing and stripping) will prevent damage to
forms
Props supporting suspended r.c. Timber formwork for a
beam and floor. concrete column.

Steel Formwork in the R.C. Specially designed steel formwork

Wall Construction for r.c girder construction
REINFORCEMENT
 REINFORCEMENT
Types:

• Mild steel (R) – smooth surface

• High tensile (Y) – deformed /

rough surface

• Deformed bars give better bonding

with the concrete (hence, less risk
of cracks developing)

• High carbon steel bar

reinforcement
 REINFORCEMENT
Fabric Reinforcement

• Rolls / sheets

• Ref. No: A10 (A393), 10mm x

10mm dia. Weighing at 6.16
kg/m2 (square 200mm x 200mm)

• Ref: No. B12 (B1131) 12mm x

8mm dia. Weighing at 10.90kg/m2
(rectangular 100mm x 200mm)
 REINFORCEMENT
Spacing of reinforcing bars - 2 important criteria in the
location of reinforcing bars in a concrete section:-

i. Proper Spacing:
- must be provided between bars to ensure concrete
flows around bars and develops the necessary
bonding with the bars

ii. Sufficient cover

- must be provided to protect the reinforcing steel from the
environment
- the mount of cover provided depends on the type of
environment in which the concrete section must perform
- The thickness of cover can be increased when:-
✓ Conditions of the environment are more extreme
✓ When and if additional fire protection is required
 REINFORCEMENT
Splicing reinforcing bars

▪ Predetermined manageable length (standard length)

▪ There are cases when splicing of reinforcing steel is necessary to ensure
continuity

▪ Three types of splicing

i. Welded splices
ii. Mechanical splices (when butt-type splices are needed in large diameter bars
metal sleeve – sleeve filled with molten lead : couplers – threaded over the bar
ends
iii. Lap splices – most common type of splice (simplicity), and length of lap
splices depends on the engineer/designer according to code requirements
REINFORCEMENT
 REINFORCEMENT
Beam Reinforcement:
i. To provide tensile strength to that
part of beam cross section that
undergoes tension due to an applied
load (main bars)

ii. To add compression strength to the

portion of the beam cross section
that is in compression (main bars)

iii. To provide additional shear strength

to the beam cross section (stirrups)
 REINFORCEMENT

Column Reinforcement:
i. For the longitudinal bars to absorb a
portion of the applied load (main bars)

ii. To provide lateral support and maintain

proper spacing and alignment of the
longitudinal bars (links/lateral ties)
 REINFORCEMENT
Requirement of Bar Reinforcement
i. Tensile strength – capable of achieving the required strength
without undue strain
ii. Made of material that can be bent into any shape
iii. Its surface must be capable of developing an adequate bond
between the concrete and reinforcement
iv. Similar coefficient of thermal expansion is required to prevent
unwanted stress developed in the member due to temperature
changes
v. Reasonable cost

vi. Availability
 REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcement Schedules and Details
Reinforcement on detail drawing is annotated by a coding system
to simplify preparation & reading of the details:-
e.g 9R 1201 – 300
9 = total no. of bars in the group
R = mild steel reinforcement
12 = diameter
01 = bar marking no
300 = spacing between bars
 Why Concrete Need to be Reinforced?
▪ Plain concrete has greater crushing or compressive strength than tensile
strength

▪ Generally concrete is considered to be 10 times stronger in compression

than in tension

▪ If plain concrete member is loaded, it will fail in tension with the

compressive strength has reach 1/10 of its ultimate value

▪ Therefore, this weakness, in tension can be solved by introducing

reinforcement so that, the tensile strength is raised to a similar value as its
compressive strength

▪ Advantages:-
• The member will be able to support loads 10 times than plain concrete
• For a given load smaller section can be used when concrete is
reinforced
Why Concrete Need to be Reinforced?
Reasons for having reinforcement in concrete:-

i. To spread the load evenly

ii. To give shape, form and position

iii. To reduce volume and size of concrete structure

iv. To resist shear stress in concrete

v. To hold drying shrinkages due to initial concrete hardening and

temperature changes
 Hooks, Bends and Laps
• To prevent bond failure, bars should be
extended beyond the section where there is
no stress in the bar

• Bend/hook is introduced to fulfill this

requirement as well as to reduce the
anchorage length at the end of the bars

• The length of bend/hook required will

depend upon grade of concrete whether
the bar is in tension or compression or
whether the bar is deformed or plain
Thank You