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  1. #1

    Concrete slab reinforcement

    Afternoon all. I'm starting my new pond build next week, so will soon be ready to cast the concrete slab foundation. My question is what kind of reinforcement is best? I've looked at varying grades of reinforcing mesh, from 6mm up to 10mm. I've also wondered whether to add fibres into the pre-mixed concrete instead/as well as the mesh.
    In your experiences what would you recommend?



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  3. #2
    I am about to lay mine using 10mm and the building with hollow blocks tied into raising steel rods from base and concrete filled.
    Not using fibre.
    First concrete pond I've built and don't intend for it to leak or move !!

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

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  5. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion RoyLittle0's Avatar
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    The mesh is fine at 6mm, i've seen it used on concrete roadways for HGV's and surprisingly it held up to the weight of a fully laden HGV many times a day, it's just to stop the slab from cracking over the bottom drain pipe work to be honest, the main slab is technically floating and relatively small for a concrete slab, don't waste your money on fibres, they wont add anything to the strength.
    4600 Gallon Concrete Block and Fiberglass
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  7. #4
    Thanks for the replies gents. ��

  8. #5
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion RoyLittle0's Avatar
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    The way I look at fibres is is like this, I see 100's of building sites a week and out of any of them how many have I seen pour a concrete slab without mesh, the answer is none, not a single slab that I have seen on construction sites has been poured without mesh, so from that I can assume that fibres alone don't add enough strength to a slab, I have actually read that they can weaken it
    4600 Gallon Concrete Block and Fiberglass
    2100 mm x 710 mm Infinity Window 32mm thick glass
    2 x Aerated Bottom Drains and Skimmer
    Filtreau HiFlow 30 Drum Filter
    Bio Chamber - 140 litres K1
    Bakki Shower - 30 KG Sakura Far Infrared Media
    2 x 18,000 lh pumps
    Heated from house boiler through a heat exchanger
    Idealseal MS290

    My Pond Build

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  10. #6
    Thanks Roy. I've gone with the 6mm. I've also read how fibres and mesh may actually weaken the structure. So 6mm mesh and no fibres it'll be.

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  12. #7
    Fibres are designed to prevent thin cement screeds or plaster from surface cracking as they dry before the chemical reaction with water takes place that makes cement or plaster "set".

    I obtained, direct from the published data on a fibre manufacturer's website, the statement that fibres are not intended for concrete slabs etc. either to replace steel reinforcement or in addition to it and that they actually slightly weaken cast concrete. I included that in part 36 of my series of articles in Koi Carp magazine which would have been published in April or May 2014.

    It must be stressed that fibres only weaken concrete very slightly but my point was "why pay extra for an addition that isn't intended for concrete and actually slightly weakens it"

  13. #8
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Handy Kenny's Avatar
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    Manky,

    Not all fibres are the same! Many peoples experience of fibres are those (like Black Knight) used in a concrete render which is like glass fibre wool. I couldn't use rebar in my pond since I wanted to have it more organically shaped so investigated how huge factory floors were laid and it turns out tunnels are made using the same "Fibre Reinforced Concrete" technology. The "fibres" I used in my pond were 50mm long bits of wiggly plastic but stainless steel "fibres" are available. This will make an interesting read - https://prozask.ru/d/798454/d/fibre_...zellandiya.pdf

    The document is from New Zealand on a Romanium web site but the web site images are also interesting to look at.

    Kenny

    WP_20150712_003.jpg

  14. #9
    Yes, I know that there are different types of fibres and I've seen them used where the major design factor is convenience rather than slab strength but I'm sticking to my opinion that all the major pool builders I've ever worked still use steel mesh in their slabs even though it's expensive to buy and labour intensive to fit. However, I'll change my mind when I see the first motorway bridge using fibres of any type instead of steel mesh.

  15. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Manky Sanke View Post
    Yes, I know that there are different types of fibres and I've seen them used where the major design factor is convenience rather than slab strength but I'm sticking to my opinion that all the major pool builders I've ever worked still use steel mesh in their slabs even though it's expensive to buy and labour intensive to fit. However, I'll change my mind when I see the first motorway bridge using fibres of any type instead of steel mesh.
    Good answer

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