Rebar Stirrups
Stirrups are closed loop reinforcement made up of rebars that are used to hold the bars together and provide lateral support to the main structure. Stirrups and ties are used in structures to make them strong and durable. There is a difference between stirrups and ties.
Stirrups are used for the transverse reinforcement in the beams where the load is transferred primarily through bending and shearing. Here the stirrups are used to prevent shear cracks in the beam which could cause failure. If the stirrups are designed accordingly then they can provide additional shear strength to the beams.
Ties are used for transverse reinforcement provided in columns where the primary mode of load transfer is compression. Here the transverse reinforcement is required to prevent the premature buckling of individual bars and confine the concrete in core.
In static loading conditions shear and torsion do not generally govern the design but can be checked for. Another reason for using the ties is to provide lateral reinforcement in columns is to hold the main reinforcement in place during concreting. If the longitudinal bars are 12 meters long then they would sway in a random direction if they are not tied together. The lateral reinforcements are used to tie the bars together and thus called ‘Ties’.
How are stirrups manufactured?
Stirrups are made up of high strength TMT rebars using automation. Ready-made stirrups are also available in the market which are manufactured using strict quality control to ensure accuracy in dimensions and high quality.
The rebars are made from virgin iron ore and pure steel and have high strength and ductility. The ready-made rebar stirrups help to get the construction work completed faster as they need to be bent and made at the constitution site. This helps to reduce the labour costs and wastage of material. The ready-made stirrups are available in dimensions of 6mm and 8mm.
The rebars have unique properties like greater elongation, excellent stress absorption, unbeatable ductility and superior bonding strength. Due to these properties the structures become durable and reliable.
Greater elongation means the rebars can bear heavy loads, stretch under pressure and return to their original shape and size. The rebars have uniform stress bearing capacity and therefore do not crack over time like ordinary bars. They can absorb extreme pressure and stand strong.
The rebars have superior ductility which means they have the ability to bend and not break during seismic events like earthquakes. The rebars are designed to have a much higher UTS/YS ratio compared to ordinary bars which prevents the buildings from collapsing. The bars do not allow the stress to increase the tensile strength even if it leads to an increase in yield strength. The rebars can absorb a large amount of energy which is released during an earthquake without causing any failures.
The rebars have a uniform ribbed pattern on the surface along the length. This provides superior bonding with concrete. The concrete will not crack or get dusted off with use. The structures remain unbreakable for generations.
