[TowerTalk] Ufer Grounding

[jimlux]

On 7/15/16 11:06 AM, David Gilbert wrote:
>
> Normal rebar is made from random composition steel melted down from old
> car chassis, bed springs, washing machine frames, older reclaimed rebar,
> etc.  Welds made to it have completely indeterminate strength.
>
> Weldable rebar has controlled content and is spec'd where the rebar
> joints need to be structurally strong.  I think rebar cages for bridge
> pylons and large building columns might be an example.
>
> I don't see any problem cadwelding copper wire to normal rebar since we
> aren't looking for structural strength anyway.  The materials (copper
> and iron/steel) are inherently different in the first place.
>

It's unclear why you would feel compelled  weld the wire to the rebar 
(inside the concrete) in any case. The Ufer design doesn't require it. 
It's more about getting the appropriate length of metal into the concrete.

That said, if you're doing the "piece of rebar sticking up through the 
top" as the connection point, then some sort of welding of your copper 
wire to the rebar at that point would be useful.