Reinforced Cement Concrete

Reinforced cement concrete (RCC) or reinforced concrete is concrete that consists of steel bars, plates, or fibers that strengthen the concrete.

The load-carrying capacity of concrete has increased due to these materials hence it is widely used in all structures.

The reinforcing steel rod, bar, or mesh absorbs tensile, shear and compressive stresses within the concrete construction.

Introduction to reinforced cement concrete:

Concrete is good at resisting compression but may be very weak to resist stresses, so reinforcement is provided in concrete where tensile stresses are expected.

The tensile strength of the metal is high and the bond between steel and concrete is decent, as steel is the most effective reinforcement material.

As the elastic modulus of steel is high, the force of resisting metal is greater than concrete for a similar expansion.

Reinforced concrete construction process:

1. Development of structural drawings.
2. Estimating and tendering construction.
3. Description of reinforcement.
4. Reinforcement space.
5. Installation of concrete formwork and shoring.
6. Concrete replacing and curing.
7. Revitalization and Special Construction Procedures.

Types of reinforced concrete:

Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC):

This fibre reinforced concrete is a fibrous material containing concrete that enhances its structural integrity.

It consists of small discrete fibres that are uniformly distributed and randomly oriented.

Fibres include steel fibre, glass fibre, artificial fibre and natural fibre.

Steel reinforced concrete:

This concrete is strengthened with a metal reinforcement bar (rebars), wire mesh or any other metal.

Steel fibres increase the durability and flexibility of the concrete as well as increase installation and labour costs.

Polypropylene fibre-reinforced concrete:

This concrete is a primary construction material that can be described as the high mechanical strength, hardness, and durability of concrete.

Polypropylene is a cheap and abundant polymer widely used due to its resistance to chemical reactions.

Properties of reinforced cement concrete:

Strength:

This cement has great strength in compression and tension.

Durability:

Reinforced cement concrete structures are sturdy if correctly designed and laid.

Mouldability:

Reinforced cement concrete sections can be easily given any form by designing the formwork thus making it extra suitable for architectural requirements.

Ductility:

Steel reinforcement provides flexibility in reinforced cement concrete structures.

Fire Resistance:

Reinforced cement concrete structures are extra fire-resistant than generally used building materials such as steel and wood.

Permeability:

This concrete is almost impermeable to moisture.

Seismic Resistance:

Properly designed reinforced cement concrete structures are extremely resistant to earthquakes.

Advantages of reinforced cement concrete:

1. This concrete is extra durable than other construction system.
2. This concrete has high corrosive strength.
3. Due to the reinforcement provided, it resist a good amount of concrete tensile stress.
4. Fire and climate resistance is affordable.
5. Initially, this concrete material can be economically molded into any shape.
6. The maintenance value of this concrete can be very low and requires less skilled labor.
7. Reinforced concrete such as footings, dams, piers etc. is probably the most economical construction material.
8. It acts as an inflexible member with minimal deflection.
9. Since this concrete can be necessarily molded, it is used extensively in prefabricated structural components.
10. This yields inflexible members with minimal apparent deflection.

Disadvantages of reinforced cement concrete:

1. The tensile strength of this concrete is 1/10 of its compressive strength.
2. The price of this concrete used for casting is comparatively excessive.
3. The RCC column section is larger than the metal section for multi-story construction.
4. Due to the shrinkage, the crack increases and the strength decreases.
5. The primary stage of using this concrete is mixing, molding and curing.

Uses of reinforced concrete:

• This concrete is used in bridges, dams, piers, tall buildings, and stadiums.
• It is commonly used for footing and foundation of small dwellings in home construction.
• This compressive and tensile strength signifies that it can withstand the weight of the home constructed on it and the pressure generated by the weight of the home.

Also read: Green Concrete, Mass Concrete & Transparent Concrete

Conclusion:

The majority of reinforced cement concrete structures show excellent durability and perform well over their design life.

The compressive strength and tensile strength of steel form a strong bond to resist these stresses in the long spam.

This concrete is mostly used in modern construction materials.