Mechanical properties for splices of welded reinforcing steel bars

Abstract EN

Due to length limitations of the reinforcing bars, and in order to maintain desired continuity of the reinforcement, reinforcement bar that have insufficient required length will be normally spliced by another bar during reinforced concrete construction.

It is common practice that during the building extension or alterations, especially in residential houses, to break the over hanged concrete slab portions, then welding existing reinforcement bars with new extends reinforcement bars.

The bar welding is not just for slabs, it may extend to beams and columns if there is insufficient length for standard splice described by the codes of practice.

Although welded splices can gave continuity of the bars, while there is still some serious question regarding to safety and strength requirements, effects of heat of welding on strength and elongation of the splice, possible length of welds to transfer the tensile forces, as well as eccentricity problems.

For determining the optimum performance of the welded splices, 31 specimens were tested including six different bar diameters, divided into 3 groups, in addition to 18 specimens for fully detailed normal reinforcement tests.