[TowerTalk] Re: Floating Ground Steel Building?

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/2/2004 3:14:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Jim Lux <jimlux at earthlink.net> writes:

>The slab itself is grounded, isn't it... This is what UFER ground depend 
>on. There may be a moisture barrier between the slab and some of the 
>ground, but the footings around the edges should be in contact with the 
>soil, and there's a fairly large contact area there.

Umm, actually the rebar is not supposed to touch the soil according to building codes; the proximity to moisture will cause the rebar to start rusting and eventually all of the rebar will be compromised and gone. 

The problem with a Ufer ground is that the rebar all needs to be bonded to prevent arcing. Some say brazing is okay, others say no. Just tying them together isn't good enough. 

I'm not a concrete expert but I think that the concrete stays moist for most of its life.

Cheers,
Steve     K7LXC
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