In construction texts, the term "reinforcement" is often found. The word is foreign, and semantic content can cause confusion in people who are little familiar with the specifics of its application.
Armature in construction
The industry concept of "reinforcement" can be divided into two large groups of values - structural and technological.
The first is used in the manufacture of building structures.
Reinforced concrete differs from simple monolith in the use of load-bearing rods, nets or frames.
Pipe-mounted fittings distribute and regulate fluid flows in water supply and sewage networks. Functionality unites these concepts. Armature is what makes up the working part of the overall system.
Structural reinforcement
Concrete structures are the main type of construction products. Concrete is sometimes called artificial stone. It has excellent compressive strength, but is relatively easy to break under tension and bending. This disadvantage is eliminated by reinforcing the concrete mass with materials capable of absorbing tensile loads without loss of strength. The progressive development of the building materials industry has expanded the range of rebar offerings. In addition to traditional steel, it included products from polymers, which is composite reinforcement. The emergence of new materials allows you to more fully take into account the operational characteristics of products.
Standards for structural reinforcement
The use of materials and products for the construction of buildings and structures is strictly regulated. Safe operation requires compliance with standards developed by leading experts and approved at the level of legislation. Steel reinforcement must comply with GOST 10884-94, which regulates the physical and technical parameters of the material. Composite meets the requirements of GOST 31938-2012. Steel reinforcement entering the market, as a rule, meets the technical conditions, since it has an established production base and technological culture. Unfortunately, elements made of polymeric materials can have a significant variation in consumer properties, which requires careful attention to purchased products. At the same time, preference should be given to enterprises providing full characteristics for them.
Steel reinforcement
The steel from which the reinforcement is made (GOST 10884-94) is sometimes carbon and low alloy. To improve adhesion to the concrete body, the rods can have a periodic profile, the parameters of which are also specified in the state standard. This type of reinforcement is the most common and well studied. Steel reinforcement is a traditional type of material for reinforcement. Concrete reinforced with steel rods, frames and nets is called reinforced concrete. Almost all building structures are made from it, from foundation to floor panels and structural elements of building frames. Factories produce a large range of reinforced concrete structures for various purposes. Today, monolithic construction is gaining more and more popularity, in which most of the elements of the building are made in the design position by pouring concrete into the installed formwork with the reinforced frame laid . If in the factory manufacturing of elements the main method of fastening the rods is welding, then in the manufacture on site they usually use knitting reinforcement with wire. In addition to the reinforcement of the periodic profile, smooth rods are also used. Their adhesion to concrete or mortar is significantly lower, but in some cases the use of smooth-rolled reinforcement is justified.
Composite reinforcement for concrete
Modern construction is developing in the direction of greater architectural expressiveness and lower costs. Polymer reinforcement allows this to be done most efficiently. An important advantage of polymers compared to metal is a significantly lower weight and corrosion resistance. These include basalt-plastic, carbon-fiber, fiberglass reinforcement.
The strength characteristics of polymer reinforcement usually exceed the capabilities of steel. Like steel, composite reinforcement can be of periodic and permanent profile. However, its work under load has its own characteristics. Unlike steel, fiberglass reinforcement does not have fluidity, and upon reaching the maximum allowable loads, an instant destruction of the element occurs.
Steel vs. composite: what to choose?
The nature of the work of reinforced concrete suggests the possibility of moisture acting on the reinforcement during crack opening in products working on bending and stretching. Naturally, this increases the risk of loss of strength and reduces the service life of structures. When concreting or masonry in the winter, steel is exposed to the aggressive effects of frost-resistant additives, which also creates the likelihood of a decrease in performance. Polymeric materials allow avoiding the negative effects of corrosion on the supporting elements of buildings and structures. Synthetic reinforcement this provides. However, composites have worse fire resistance, faster losing strength when heated. The lower weight of the reinforcement made of composites is an attractive property for individual and low-rise construction, as a rule, not provided with load-lifting mechanisms. Reducing the cost of transportation and moving around the construction site can be a tangible amount.
Pipeline accessories
The range of applications of fittings in pipelines is very extensive. It is used everywhere, from small-diameter networks in the private sector to massive industrial products. Pipe fittings on distribution networks must meet the high requirements for safety and uptime. These network elements, combining conflicting requirements, can be very complex configurations. For example, stop valves must withstand hydrodynamic shock, reaching significant values with large pipe diameters. Therefore, the most suitable material is usually considered non-ferrous metals, such as copper and bronze, which allow the manufacture of milled and cast products of varying complexity. However, they have a high cost and low strength. Therefore, steel, cast iron and polymers are used as materials from which the fittings are made. The manufacturer guarantees the operational parameters of the products, which allows you to make an informed choice of a material.
Polymers in plumbing networks
The proliferation of plastic pipes gave impetus to the emergence of plastic fittings or with a significant number of plastic components. They are most popular in the public utilities and private sectors. The indisputable advantage that such fittings have is less weight and the absence of corrosion of pipes and network elements. Pipes made of polymeric materials can be of almost unlimited length, unlike standard metal sizes. They are quite easily interconnected in various ways.
Polymer welding is less time consuming and fireproof than metal welding. In addition to the absence of corrosion, polymer pipes and fittings are not susceptible to accumulation of precipitation in water and heat networks , which can lead to overgrowing of the internal space and a decrease in the effective diameter. Shutoff valves, distribution and others, are installed on pipelines using the methods used in the construction of pipe joints.