Technical and economic aspects of load-bearing welded joints in reinforcing steel

Reinforcing bars are usually produced with a length of 12 m (max. 18 m). In some reinforced concrete structures, it is necessary to use full-length continuous bars. However, it is more convenient to work with shorter rods. For these reasons, it is often necessary to connect the bars on site, e.g. when repairing RC beams or columns. This article presents welded joints that connect rebars in the longitudinal direction to ensure force transmission: joints with fillet welds and butt welds. The advantages and disadvantages of the various types of reinforcement bar welded connections are shown, allowing a decision to be made on which type of connection to use in a particular case. Analyzing the different types of connections and their technical aspects makes it easier to determine which one is more economical. Alternative butt joints and mechanical splices were also presented.