Richfield Concrete Minneapolis St Paul MN

Why Concrete Reinforcement Is Important?

Concrete is one of most frequently used building materials there is. The reason is that it is easily placed, due to its fluid condition and it’s stone-like hardness once it has cured. Concrete is also very strong and can support large amounts of weight on its surface without deforming or crumbling. Those features of concrete make it especially popular for creating large flat surfaces, like driveways, roads, patios, and sidewalks.

Despite that hardness and strength, however, concrete is weak when pulled or bent. It has relatively low tensile strength on its own. Pulling forces on concrete occur when soil moves under a slab and in expansion and contraction due to temperature changes in Minnesota. Why it has low tensile strength is pretty easy to understand, if you think about what concrete is. A mixture of cement, gravel, and sand, concrete doesn’t have structure that extends far in any direction. The cement that holds all that gravel and sand is rather brittle. When stresses that tend to pull the concrete apart or bend it occur, the cement can break. The result is a crack in the concrete.

Concrete Pavement Reinforcement for Strength & Durability

To give added tensile strength to concrete, a variety of materials are used to increase its tensile strength. These include:

Steel Reinforcing Rods – Commonly called “rebar,” these steel rods, in varying diameters are used to create a grid that extends lengthwise and crosswise in the concrete slab. Placed in the center of the thickness of the slab, they resist pulling and bending forces much better than the concrete alone. In addition, if the slab does crack, which eventually happens to most concrete slabs, the steel rods help keep the slab in place and even, despite the crack. For residential driveways, patios, and similar projects, Richfield Asphalt uses a minimum of 3/8″ diameter rebar, in a grid 4′ on center. When necessary, more rebar may be used to create a denser grid than that. That option may be recommended, depending on the project and the use it will have.
Steel Wire Fabric – For some projects, a special welded steel fabric, made of thick steel wire in a grid, typically 6″ wide in both directions, is used. This material may be recommended for sidewalks, patios, and other projects. It adds tensile strength and crack resistance.
Microfiber Reinforcement – In recent years, it has been learned that the addition of synthetic microfibers to the concrete mix helps greatly in reducing the tendency of concrete to crack. Some paving contractors offer microfiber reinforcement as an optional addition, at extra cost. At Richfield Concrete, we know that microfiber reinforcement has great value, especially for driveway paving, and we include it in every driveway job at no extra cost. Recently introduced, macrofiber reinforcement may be another available option.

Richfield Concrete – Strong Durable Concrete Pavement in Minneapolis St. Paul, MN

For Richfield Concrete, helping homeowners understand concrete and its properties is all part of our dedication to customer service. We believe that the more our customers know, the better able they’ll be to make the right decisions for their projects. Unlike some paving contractors, who present customers with a one-size-fits-all solution for their concrete project, we’ll offer all available options to you, explain the pros and cons of each option, and then let you make the decisions for yourself. Contact Richfield Concrete soon for a free, no-obligation consultation and estimate on your concrete project.