A developing economy relies heavily on infrastructure creation and construction of airports, bridges, dams, residential buildings, etc. For the infrastructure to be resilient, robust, and long-lasting, the strength of its structural components becomes an important determinant. The steel industry bears the responsibility of producing metals with superior mechanical properties.
Thermo Mechanical Treatment or TMT is a widely used process that yields high-grade building bars to meet the market demands. However, buying and using TMT bars without enquiring enough about their properties may turn out to be a big mistake. Therefore, let us examine a few factors that should be considered before buying them, to ensure prolonged strength, toughness, and protection.
Factors To Consider
Steel Grade
The gradation is probably the most important factor that influences the strength and quality of the steel bar directly. Generally, a steel bar with a higher grade is more robust, such that it can withstand stress more reliably.
In India, the most commonly available grades of TMT steel bars include Fe 500 D, 550 D, and 500 S. If you are planning for a house or any other building project in an earthquake-prone area, using a TMT bar with the highest possible gradation is a must.
Certifications and Brands
You will find quite a lot of steel bar manufacturers and brands these days. While it is good to have so much choice, the fact remains that trust and reliability are a major concern when it comes to the quality of the TMT bar manufacturers. Always check the ISO certification of a brand before anything else. Moreover, to select a dependable brand for TMT steel bars, go for the one which has both BIS and ISO certifications.
Certainly, the prices of the TMT bars sold by such manufacturers will be on the higher side, but at least there will be no compromise when it comes to quality. Compliance with international safety standards is also an important thing to look out for.
Premium brands like Kairali always release information like this in the public domain. That’s why they are the number one producers of quality TMT steel bars in South India today.
Corrosion Resistance
Through research and experimentation, it has been proved that most of the TMT bars available these days are sensitive towards rusting, especially under moist conditions. This makes it all the more important for you to choose TMT bars that have proven anti-corrosive properties. To give them such mechanical rigor, they should ideally have a CRS grade or an epoxy coating. This way, the surface of the bar will remain sheltered from moisture and other degrading matter.
Flexibility and Bending
The flexibility of TMT bars is not just important for the strength of the entire structure, but also for the ease of construction. TMT bars that bend easily, can be modified or molded to fit any architectural design.
TMT bars with high flexibility are capable of dispersing the force of an earthquake effectively, without collapsing under seismic tension. The most reliable test for flexibility is to bend the TMT bar through 180 degrees. The best TMT steel bars will not develop any traverse cracks in this test.
Cross-check Manufacturing Details
Cross-checking details of the manufacturing process can also be beneficial sometimes. It has been reported that some manufacturers prepare TMT bars with scrap metal instead of pure iron ore. Scrap impurities alter the mechanical properties of the final product.
Secondly, even when pure iron ore is used, refining remains to be a crucial step. Ideally, the Ladle Refining Furnace (LRF) process should be used to remove impurities like Phosphorus and Sulphur. This way, checking details of the manufacturing process can help you select high-quality TMT bars.
The Bottom Line
Using TMT bars for construction is a strategic step towards building sturdy and long-lasting structures. Since it has been seen that mechanical properties vary a lot between different kinds of TMT bars, for choosing the best steel for house construction and large construction it would be wise to evaluate them before buying
Choosing the right TMT bars from the right place will go a long way in giving rise to timeless infrastructure. The flagship division of Kairali Ventures- Kairali TMT offers one of the best TMT steel bars in Kerala. Kairali TMT steel bars are the industry leading No.1 TMT Bar in Kerala and South India. Choosing Kairali therefore guarantees toughness to your infrastructure projects.
