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Writer's pictureJoy Varma

Why are Earthquake Resistant TMT Bars Important for Your Foundation?


Earthquake-resistant TMT bars play an integral role in construction projects to ensure the development of a solid foundation. When there is no chance of buildings collapsing due to an earthquake, it helps develop a better ecosystem. The earthquake-resistant TMT bars have various other characteristics for which it is preferred over any ordinary steel bars. This article discusses different aspects of TMT bars for selecting it as an essential part of developing a foundation. Continue reading to know more about the various benefits of using the TMT bars in locations exposed to earthquakes.


Why are TMT Bars Important?


TMT bars are essential for various reasons. When it is compared with ordinary steel bars, engineers choose TMT bars as the best solution available. The discussion here underpins different aspects from which TMT bars are preferred for any construction project. The fundamental notion in choosing the bars is to strengthen the foundation. How? Know the answer by reading the details mentioned below.


The Chemical Composition of TMT Bars is More Effective than Ordinary Steel Bars

TMT bars are thermo-mechanically treated bars. It is manufactured at high temperatures, which develops a unique chemical formation. The carbon content in the bar is very low, around 0.2%. The bar does not contain phosphorus and sulfur. The high heating process degasify the bars from various inert gasses. This chemical composition makes the bar corrosion-resistant. This corrosion-resistant property makes the bar highly useful for construction projects which develop a high chance of developing rust in the steel structure. The rust decays the quality of the system and makes the structure collapse due to earthquakes, humidity, fire, and other natural disasters. That is why earthquake-resistant TMT bars are significant.


The Earthquake Resistance Property is Highly Sought After

TMT bars' quenching, self-tempering, and atmospheric cooling process develop a robust outer layer and ductile inner core. The soft inner core makes the bars highly flexible, which is appropriate for creating a solid foundation of construction so that it does not break due to intense tensile stress. Apart from this, the soft inner core absorbs the seismic wave and disperses it across the length through contraction and expansion. It prohibits the structure from breaking due to seismic pressure. Civil engineers use this characteristic of earthquake-resistant TMT bars to offer superior strength and sustainability to the construction.


TMT Bars are Effective for Multi-Purpose Projects

The earthquake-resistant TMT bars are available in different grades, such as Fe-415, Fe-500, Fe-550, and Fe-600. These grades have different sub-groups. The various grades are suitable for other purposes of construction. Fe-415 grade TMT bars are effective for small-scale residential projects. Fe-500 grade TMT bars are effective for multi-storied residential projects, bridges, and other structures. Fe-550 and Fe-600 grades of the TMT bars are effective for constructing dams, bridges, airports, flyovers, and other constructions. When the TMT bars add to these foundations earthquake-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and fire-resistant properties, the sustainability of the construction increases. It makes the project highly valuable by enhancing the project’s core qualities. That is why engineers prefer earthquake-resistant TMT bars over any other ordinary steel bars.


High Weldability Makes it Perfect Fit for Modern Architecture

Apart from the earthquake-resistant properties of TMT bars, high weldability is another critical criterion that makes the bars highly valuable to civil engineers. The engineers undertake different modern projects which require developing essential structures. If it were tough to add two TMT bars, the engineers would have found it challenging to establish the modern design of construction projects. The chemical composition of TMT bars does not make the joint of the two TMT bars brittle and weak. The high degree of weldability bonds the two TMT bars perfectly.

Apart from this, the outer layer of the earthquake-resistant TMT bars has a repetitive rib structure. It helps to form better bonding with concrete. When concrete is applied on the TMT bars, the strong bond with concrete creates solid and sturdy structures that sustain for a long time. This strong cohesion between TMT bars and concrete prohibits passing air or water to the TMT bars. Thus it reduces the chances of developing any rust or decay. That is why to construct a solid foundation, earthquake-resistant TMT bars get a higher preference over ordinary steel bars.


The TMT Bars Have High Fire Resistant Property

TMT bars can absorb the maximum heat of 600 degrees centigrades. Any construction can be exposed to fire with or without human intervention. The high fire-resistant property ensures that the building or architecture constructed using TMT bars will not collapse under the direct influence of high temperature. It offers sustainability and protection to the construction. The outer part of the building or construction can damage, but its foundation will stand firm. But, engineers cannot expect the same outcome from a structure made out of ordinary steel bars. There are many instances that show that buildings completely collapse after they catch fire. It results from using poor construction materials that cannot withstand high heat. That is why choosing earthquake, and fire-resistant TMT bars are always a decisive decision.


How TMT Bars Resist Earthquakes?


When the tensile and yield strength of the TMT bars are considerably high, they can withstand high pressure without any deformation. Due to repetitive contraction and expansion, the seismic pressure would cause the TMT bars to fall apart along with its adjacent structure. But, it shows different characteristics. The construction made of TMT bars withstands seismic pressure without any effort. It sustains buildings, dams, bridges, and flyovers for a long period.


Apart from this, the thermo-mechanical process of developing TMT bars creates a strong outer layer and soft inner core. It makes the bars highly flexible. The softer inner core makes it feasible for the bars to absorb seismic waves. When the TMT bars come under seismic pressure, they contract and expand across their length. This helps to disperse even the strong seismic wave without damaging the construction. This way, TMT bars develop earthquake-resistant properties.


Many TMT bar manufacturers in Kolkata offer engineers specific grades of TMT bars, which are marked with S. The tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation ratio of earthquake-resistant TMT bars remain higher than the ordinary graded TMT bars. The maximum yield stress, minimum TS/YS ratio, and minimum elongation ratio of Fe-415 grade of TMT bars are 415 N/mm2, 1.10, and 14.5, respectively. But, the maximum yield stress, minimum TS/YS ratio, and minimum elongation ratio of Fe-415S grade of TMT bars are 540 N/mm2, 1.25, and 20. This data shows the parameters of the Fe-415S version of the TMT bars are much higher than that of Fe-415 grade TMT bars. This way, specially designed TMT bars become highly efficient in resisting seismic waves and ensure better sustainability.


Why are Earthquake Resistant TMT Bars Important?


The earthquake-resistant TMT bars are important for construction both in earthquake-prone areas and normal areas. However, it is predominantly important to use seismic-resistant TMT bars in earthquake-prone areas. Due to environmental degradation, plane regions also become vulnerable to earthquakes. This section elaborates on different reasons for using earthquake-resistant TMT bars.


To Protect Foundation from Seismic Threat

Constructing a building does not require only establishing it in bricks by bricks. It also requires ensuring that the structure will not collapse. That is why people invest a lot of money in building their dream homes so that they can live across generations. High-rise construction is always vulnerable to seismic threats. What would it require to reduce the propensity to collapse? It requires a solid foundation. The earthquake-resistant TMT bars are the best alternative in this case. The engineers cannot think of any other options to create the foundation of construction when it has a high chance of collapse.

In contrast to ordinary steel bars, the earthquake-resistant TMT bars offer superior strength to keep the construction's structure intact. The additional properties of the TMT bars, such as corrosion resistance, fire resistance, ductility, weldability, and bendability, make it the perfect choice for the construction of projects which demand sustainability.


To Help The Construction Sustain

Sustainability is one of the critical requirements of constructing any building, dam, bridge, railway, airport, or other. Sustainability ensures that the construction will not fall due to any natural hazards. The earthquake-resistant TMT bars help engineers to design the system more confidently. Compared to ordinary steel bars, TMT bars develop strong bonding with concrete. Apart from this, the high elongation ratio provides strength to the TMT bars to disperse the seismic wave along its length through contraction and expansion. This flexibility is seldom available in any other steel bars.

TMT steel manufacturers in West Bengal keep in consideration the minimum and maximum limit of tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation ratio while manufacturing the TMT bars. The key motive remains to enhance the core qualities of different graded TMT bars so that resultant construction becomes strong, sturdy, and sustainable.


To Reduce the Cost of Management and Maintenance

The cost of construction management and maintenance will increase if it becomes damaged or ill-managed after a few years of development. Once the engineers complete the development, it becomes challenging to reconstruct the foundation of the project. If it requires, the project will fail to become cost-efficient. But, many small and medium-scale constructions in earthquake-prone areas require refurbishing buildings or other projects after a few years of development. Otherwise, the buildings or projects become impossible to use. In that context, earthquake-resistant TMT bars greatly help engineers make construction sustainable. It allows residents to rehabilitate those areas without the risk of building collapse. That is why TMT bar manufacturers in Kolkata and other cities suggest that engineers procure TMT bars over ordinary steel bars.


To Make the Construction Damage Proof

Engineers must ensure the optimum construction quality before initiating the development. That is why civil engineers invest time in strategizing the plan of construction and sanctioning it through respective authorities before starting the project. The method includes the design of the structure, identification of materials, identification of the maintenance process, and many other factors. Using earthquake-resistant TMT bars for construction projects is a prerequisite for high-value projects. The engineers choose the grades of TMT bars which have a high seismic resistant property to make the project sustainable.


Apart from this, the earthquake-resistant TMT bars ensure that the construction will not damage due to strong seismic influence. Even high heat cannot damage the foundation, which is made using TMT bars, as the bars have high heat absorption quality. Why would anyone not use TMT bars for construction if a product can offer these many benefits? Over the years, earthquake-resistant TMT bars have become popular among engineers. Various TMT bar manufacturers in Kolkata promise to provide high-quality TMT bars to help engineers develop more robust and sustainable foundations.


This way, the superior quality of TMT bars has developed an ecosystem where various TMT bar manufacturers produce high-quality TMT bars to ensure an ideal foundation of construction. The TMT bars have higher usability and excellent properties than ordinary steel bars. It is also available at an affordable price. Engineers can choose the best TMT bars from the varieties of choices and brands available. The earthquake-resistant property of the TMT bars makes them an integral part of construction projects in earthquake-prone areas. Therefore, to leverage all the benefits present in the TMT bars, you must procure it for every construction project, whether small, medium, or large. The solid foundation will offer better sustainability to the project and make it economically feasible.


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