Do I Need Reinforced Concrete?

In terms of strength and affordability, there is no building material that can compete with concrete.

Not only is concrete one of the most affordable building materials out there, but it also boasts exceptional strength and durability. It also gives project managers the opportunity to increase these properties even further, with the option to add extra reinforcements to the concrete.

If you’re unsure whether your project would benefit from reinforced concrete, or aren’t familiar with this material and its benefits, keep reading.

What is reinforced concrete?

Reinforced concrete is when high strength concrete is combined with other reinforcement materials. These additional reinforcements can include steel bars, welded wire mesh, or other fibres (depending on the specific use case).

As a composite material, reinforced concrete achieves all the benefits of its constituent elements.

Typically, concrete can become brittle, especially if it is exposed to tension or bending (it has a low tensile strength, but a high compressive strength). So, by adding these reinforcements to the concrete, it can achieve a high tensile strength as well as its existing high compressive strength, meaning the concrete can successfully withstand a wider range of stresses.

What are the properties of reinforced concrete?

Reinforced concrete is widely used in construction projects.

Its most valuable properties include:

• Extremely high strength (with exceptionally high tensile and compressive strengths)
• Unparalleled durability
• A long lifespan
• Fantastic resistance to environmental stresses
• Superior corrosion-resistance
• Excellent fire-resistance
• Versatility, being compatible with a huge range of applications
• Affordability (despite costing more than conventional concrete, reinforced concrete is still a very cost-effective material)
• Low maintenance requirements

At iMix Concrete, we are specialist ready mix concrete suppliers, delivering reinforced concrete to customers across the UK. With out-of-hours and night delivery options available, and the ability to fulfil orders of over 600m3 of concrete per day, our services also ensure that reinforced concrete is a convenient, dependable and time-efficient building material.

When do you need to use reinforced concrete?

Thanks to these impressive properties, reinforced concrete features in a wide range of structural applications.

Common uses of reinforced concrete include:

• Multi-storey buildings
• Skyscrapers
• Foundations
• Basements
• Retaining walls
• Warehouses
• Factories
• Large commercial properties (e.g. shopping centres)
• Bridges and tunnels
• Roads

iMix Concrete’s supply services are extremely flexible, with the ability to cater to projects of all sizes. Our skilled team of concrete specialists can support everything from one-off domestic projects, to huge building sites, with the ability to deliver orders of over 800m3 of concrete per day.

What are the benefits of using reinforced concrete?

As an extremely versatile building material, reinforced concrete is a great choice for a huge range of projects, including complex and large-scale projects, or builds where maximum safety standards are paramount.

By opting for reinforced concrete, you can ensure that your project has a greater load-bearing capacity, with the ability to withstand significant weight and a broader range of stresses.

Thanks to its superior weather resistance and corrosion resistance, reinforced concrete will also allow you to secure an increased lifespan for the build, with the ability to last for decades, with minimal maintenance.

Plus, when you work with a concrete specialist like iMix Concrete, you can order premium quality reinforced concrete through a trusted, dependable and fully qualified team of experts.

We ensure flexible and reliable delivery, with next day and even same day delivery options available. We also offer out-of-hours and night delivery, so that our clients can receive this key material with minimal disruption to their project.

Whatever you require, we can cater to projects of all shapes and sizes, including everything from small domestic builds, to sites that would need over 600m3 of concrete per day.

To find out more about our services, or to enlist our team to support your upcoming project, contact our team today.