| Lexicon Reinforced concrete _____________________________________________________ Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars ("rebars"), reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patended in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is reinforced with iron or steel. Other materials used to reinforce concrete can be organic and inorganic fibres as well as composites in different forms. Concrete is strong in compression, but weak in tension, thus adding reinforcement increases the strength in tension. In addition, the failure strain of concrete in tension is so low that the reinforcement has to hold the cracked sections together. Some types of structures are: Reinforced concrete framed building Reinforced concrete frames consist of horizontal elements (beams) and vertical elements (columns) connected by rigid joints. These structures are cast monolithically that is, beams and columns are cast in a single operation in order to act in unison. Reinforced concrete frames provide resistance to both gravity and lateral loads through bending in beams and columns. Reinforced concrete portal framed building Reinforced concrete shell |