Reinforced cement concrete- (Advantage & Disadvantages)

Reinforced cement concrete:

 

Since concrete is a brittle material and it is weak in tension but strong in compression, so steel is used inside concrete for strengthening and reinforcing the tensile strength of concrete. The steel must have suitable deformations to provide strong bonds and interlocking of both materials and be surrounded by the hardened concrete mass it forms an integral part of the two materials, known as "Reinforced cement Concrete".

Advantages of reinforced concrete

• Relatively high compressive strength
• Better resistance to fire than steel
• Long service life with low maintenance cost
• In some types of structures, such as dams, piers and footings, it is most economical
• It can be casted in any required
• It yields rigid members with minimum apparent deflection
• Yield strength of reinforcement is about 15 times the compressive strength of structural concrete and well over 100 times its tensile strength

Disadvantages of reinforced concrete

• It needs mixing, casting and curing to affect the final strength of concrete
• The cost of the forms used for casting concrete is relatively high than other materials.
• It has low compressive strength as compared to steel (the ratio 1:10 based on material).