Tensile Tests on Reinforcing Steel Bars in the Nigerian Construction Industry

Abstract

Tensile behaviour was investigated for reinforcing steel bars used in the Nigerian Construction Industry; this was done to ascertain the level of conformity of the tested parameters with the standards. A total of thirteen (13) companies operating in Nigeria were considered and (19) nineteen samples selected randomly with each sample containing ten specimens which were used in the tests. Out of the nineteen (19) samples, thirteen (13) were locally produced in Nigeria, while six (6) were imported. Thus, a total of 190 specimens were used for the experiment. It was found that eleven (11) samples out of the nineteen (19) samples examined failed to meet the requirements of BS4449:1997 in respect of the characteristic strength. In case of the Ultimate: Yield ratio, while only one (1) out of the nineteen (19) samples did not record the minimum values of 1.25 as prescribed by the code.