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Maintenance of Reinforcement Steel in Old RCC Buildings

Reinforcement is a vital building material that bears loads out of each and every component part of structure. Furthermore, it even withstands seismic loads faced by sub structure. Because of aging, reinforcement steel gets deteriorated because of several issues as well as too much loading.

Therefore, it is essential to maintain/repair them. Moreover, reinforcement is offered in sub surface component parts such as foundation as well as super structure component parts like column, beam, slab, staircase, lintel, chajja, and more.

General Imperfections in Structural Elements in Old Buildings:

  • Bending in beam (horizontal steel bars).
  • Buckling in column (vertical steel bars).
  • Too much yielding.
  • Corrosion in steel bars.
  • Steel bars’ elongation.

Sources of Flaws in Reinforcement Steel in Structural Elements:

  • Defective material.
  • Steel bars inappropriate installation.
  • Inadequate work quality and inappropriate execution.
  • Natural calamities.
  • Imperfect design of RCC.
  • Fixtures as well as fittings of pipes.
  • Too much loads out of structure (super and sub surface).
  • Seismic waves.
  • Water logging as well as seepage.
  • Mortar / soil erosion.

Process for repairing of Reinforcement in Old Buildings:

Process for repairing of reinforcement steel in slab:-

  • Concrete cover’s removal.
  • Steel bars’ cleaning through wire brush.
  • Epoxy layer’s application on steel bars.
  • In the event of excessive corrosion, steel mesh must be attached.
  • Attaching of steel mesh.
  • New concrete’s application prior to epoxy material’s drying.

Process for Repairing of Reinforcement Steel in Column:-

  • Attaching steel connectors to fix new stirrups in two directions. That can be performed through drilling holes of appropriate depth and diameter.
  • Injecting epoxy material within holes as well as in addition fixing the connectors.
  • Installation or setup of new steel bars as well as jacket’s stirrups according to design.
  • Coating present column through epoxy material.
  • New concrete layer’s application according to needed thickness prior to epoxy’s drying.
  • Concrete cover’s remova.l
  • Steel bars’ cleaning through wire brush.
  • Epoxy layer’s application.
  • Steel jacket’s installation (of needed shape, thickness, size according to design).
  • Pour epoxy in space as well as openings amid jacket and column.

Process for Repairing of Reinforcement Steel in Beams:

  • Raising steel bars as well as cross section area of concrete in case beam stops to take needed loads.
  • Extending steel bars devoid of affecting cross-section area in case bars stop to withstand stresses.
  • Attaching steel plates to beam in case beam stops to withstand structural properties such as moment distribution, shear stress, and more. Steel plates are set or designed as well as attached with appropriate thickness.

To get more details, go through the following video tutorial.

Lecturer: American Concrete Institute

Maintenance of Reinforcement Steel in Old RCC Buildings