By Darin Williams Concrete is strongkinda. It has terrific compression strength (able to bear compressing forces), however really little tensile strength (able to bear pulling or flexing forces). This will lead to a concrete slab undoubtedly breaking somewhere. It is false economy to count on a concrete-only task to withstand the tensions of use and time it requires some sort of "bones." Steel has great tension-resisting strength, but steel is very pricey compared to concrete.
This rebar and concrete mix is called "strengthened concrete." In some cases, there's a LOT of reinforcement Appropriate placement of rebar within concrete is vital for providing the concrete the right assistance and strength in the right locations, enabling the steel bars to soak up the tensile loading. For best results, rebar is generally situated at the center or a little above the center of a concrete piece.
To position the rebar at the proper location prior to the concrete pour, some sort of support is frequently utilized to keep the rebar in the right place. This Author might just have someone hold the rebar in location, but, well, that may cause long-lasting issues. While something as easy as a stone or brick could work for the rebar to simply lay on, an aggressive and heavy concrete pour moving in and around the rebar throughout installation could topple or move these profitable assistance techniques.
These supports are called "chairs" and may be made from metal or plastic or other non-corrosive product. In truth, a terrific ready-to-use option is made from a little concrete block called a "dobie." While dobies are available in multiple sizes for various height and positioning requirements, a typical size dobie is 3" x 3" x 3".
The dobies come in rows of 6 which are easily damaged apart along scored lines for private dobie positioning. Contact your field representative or Outpost Construction Supply straight for answers to your questions and to arrange your delivery of dobies to your concrete job!.