[TowerTalk] Rebar cage - ???

[K8RI on Tower talk]

> Hi all -   This past summer I had a  24' x 30' slab poured 4" thick with a 
> 3'
> x 4' by 16' deep at one corner to build  a barbecue on it. I was surprised
> when I noticed they weren't using any rebar or  heavy wire.

It depends on what kind of stresses the concrete has to endure from use and 
the weather.

My shop floor has the new, "high fiber" concrete and it's a great floor.  It 
also has the heavy wire reinforcement, yet there are about 5 or 6 find 
cracks that run diagonally across each of the four corners.  The thermal 
stress in the corners has caused it to crack.  They are fine cracks though 
and would disappear for another season with a good coat of paint.

However the shop has a "rat wall" around it that extends below the frost 
line.  Were I to do it again I'd put in a complete seperate foundation and 
isolate the floor from the foundation with 1/2" bead board. The shop is 
heated with a gas fired IR tube heater and the floor reaches room 
temperature which can be 72F or higher when I have some resin lay-ups 
curing. That means on a cold night the temperature of that concrete goes 
from 72F to below zero in less than a foot.

>From a temperature standpoint you could walk on that floor barefoot.  Having 
a distinct dislike for picking metal splinters out of my feet I'll let some 
one else do that.

I do need to put a couch, and easy chair out there.  The computer, which is 
part of the *old* ham station "out there" has a large screen and built in TV 
tuner/recorder as does this one here in the ham shack.

Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com

> The concrete man explained that the rebar wasn't  necessary with the  new
> type concrete with the reinforcing fibers in it. He  stated he would put 
> in the
> rebar / wire if I wanted it, but it just be a  extra expense. I explained 
> to
> him that I had put in several pier type tower  bases over the years and 
> had used
> the rebar. His answer to me was he didn't  think the rebar would be needed
> with the new type concrete, maybe the heavy grid  wire but not the rebar. 
> I
> figure there is some merit to what he's telling me  because he's been in 
> the
> concrete business for over 20 years. Something to think  about     73's 
> Harold
> -      K9ge
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