What is TMT Bar?
There are 5 different types of Reinforcement Bars namely Mild Steel Grade – I, II, Medium Tensile Steel, High Strength deformed steel bars and TMT Bars. TMT Bars are one of the types of Reinforcement Bars. These TMT Bars are Thermo Mechanically Treated Bars. These are used to protect the buildings from destruction from unexpected disasters and also help the building lifespan more long-lasting.
Why TMT Bars are preferred?
Cement Concrete is the most important construction material for any type of Construction. Concrete being terribly weak tension requires reinforcement. There comes the usage of steel to support the construction.
The ultimate aim is to have a strong and hard outer core with a flexible inner core. To prevent the bars from rust and corrosion, the outer core is coated with a protective layer to make the bars anti-corrosion-resistant when constructing sensitive structures i.e., even in humid conditions such as dams and bridges, high rise constructions.
What do grades of TMT Bars mean?
As they are Thermo Mechanically Treated, where the process is rapidly cooling down of bars in a molten(semi-solid) stage. The cooling down of bars is done by spraying water at regular interval of time, due to those time intervals, the characteristics of the bars are defined. The grade number indicates the applied stress level to deform the bar. So higher the number, higher the strength and rigidity of TMT bar.
Grades of TMT Bars
The TMT Bars grades are classified based on Strength and Rigidity and are of 4 different types. They are as follows:
Fe – 415: The Fe – 415 TMT grade bar can sustain the stress till 415 Newton/sq.mm, beyond that stress, the TMT bar deforms.
Due to the higher uniform elongation, they are the best fit for earthquake-prone areas.
Fe – 500: The Fe – 500 TMT grade bar can sustain the stress till 500 Newton/sq.mm, beyond that stress, the TMT bar deforms.
They can be used both for underground buildings and multiple story buildings like apartments and commercial buildings. Due to corrosion-proof property, they can be predominantly used in coastal areas and bridge construction.
Fe – 550: The Fe – 550 TMT grade bar can sustain the stress till 550 Newton/sq.mm, beyond that stress, the TMT bar deforms.
This is equivalent to Fe – 500, but there are slight differences in tensile strength. They are used for constructing underground, coastal and marine structures as they are corrosion resistant and durability.
Fe – 600: The Fe – 600 TMT grade bar can sustain the stress till 600 Newton/sq.mm, beyond that stress, the TMT bar deforms.
As they possess huge tensile strength when compared to other grades of TMT bars, they are used for larger Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) Building Structures such as Huge Commercial properties, plants, industrial areas, metro projects, towers as those zones need more loading bearing strength, corrosion-resistant, and durability.
Points to remember when choosing a TMT Bar:
Below are the features that a TMT Bars should possess.
Resistant Properties: Any TMT bar should be resistant to fire, corrosion. For better durability, TMT bar should be anti-corrosive when exposed to humid and moist areas
Ductile Strength: It is property to elongate but not to break. TMT bars should be able to cope up stress levels and should not be cracked during such conditions.
Flexibility: Commonly, the TMT bars have high strength but have less flexibility and bending properties. When an area is exposed to stress due to any unexpected disasters like earthquake, the TMT bar should bear the stress caused due to earthquakes and should have the flexibility and bending properties for better durability.
Choosing TMT Bar is based on the construction type, requirements and standards. So, one should make the right choice of TMT bar depending upon the purpose of construction. Every TMT bars have certain features and specification based on the applications. Hence, a Perfect Choice of TMT bar ensures for quality and durable building which is cost-effective.
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