Steel Reinforcement - Why do concrete need steel reinforcement?

Concrete is strong in compression and weak in tension. Steel, on the other hand, is strong in tension. The property of tension that concrete lack is gained by embedding steel in concrete. The steel reinforcement sustains the tensile forces coming over concrete under load conditions. The steel bars employed for this purpose is called as reinforcing bars.

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Mild Steel is commonly used as steel reinforcement in reinforced concrete. This is because both the steel and concrete have the same coefficient of expansion. The mild steel is a ductile material which can be molded easily. It gives warning before failure.


Characteristic of mild steel is the modulus of elasticity and yield strength. Both the parameters can be obtained from the stress-strain diagram. The stress-strain diagram is obtained by conducting a tension test on the laboratory.

Read More: Steel in Construction

The commonly used steel are:

1. Mild Steel
2. High yield Strength Deformed Bars

Reference : https://www.britannica.com/technology/steel