Armature is what? Types of fittings

The term "armature" is often found in construction texts. The word is foreign, and the meaningful content can cause confusion in people who are little familiar with the specifics of its application.

Fittings in construction

The branch concept of "armature" can be divided into two large groups of values - structural and technological.

The first is used in the manufacture of building structures. Reinforced concrete differs from a simple monolith using load-sensing rods, nets or frameworks.

The valves installed on the pipelines distribute and regulate the flow of liquid in the water supply and sewage networks. Unites these concepts functional purpose. The armature is what constitutes the working part of the common system.

Structural reinforcement

Concrete constructions are the main type of building products. Concrete is sometimes called an artificial stone. It has an excellent resistance to compression, but it is relatively easy to break when stretched and bent. This disadvantage is eliminated by reinforcing the concrete massif with materials capable of absorbing tensile loads without loss of strength. Progressive development of the building materials industry has expanded the range of reinforcement offerings. In addition to the traditional steel, it included products made of polymers, which is a composite reinforcement. The appearance of new materials makes it possible to take fuller account of the performance characteristics of the products.

Standards for structural reinforcement

The use of materials and products for the erection of buildings and structures is strictly regulated. Safe operation requires compliance with standards developed by leading experts and approved at the level of legislation. Steel reinforcement must comply with GOST 10884-94, which regulates the physical and technical parameters of the material. The composite meets the requirements of GOST 31938-2012. Steel fittings entering the market, as a rule, meet the specifications, because it has a well-established production base and technological culture. Unfortunately, elements made of polymer materials can have a wide range of consumer properties, which requires careful attention to the purchased products. In this case, it is necessary to give preference to enterprises that provide full characteristics for them.

Steel fittings

Steel, from which the reinforcement is made (GOST 10884-94), is carbonaceous and low-alloy. To improve the adhesion to the concrete body, the rods can have a periodic profile, the parameters of which are also specified in the state standard. This type of reinforcement is the most common and well studied. Steel reinforcement is a traditional type of reinforcement material. Concrete reinforced with steel rods, frames and nets is called reinforced concrete. From it, almost all building structures are made, from foundation to floor panels and load-bearing elements of building frames. Factories produce a large range of reinforced concrete structures for various purposes. Today, monolithic construction is gaining in popularity, in which most of the building elements are made in the design position by pouring concrete into the installed formwork with a reinforced frame. If during the fabrication of elements the main method of fastening the rods is welding, then in the manufacture on site, the binding of the reinforcement by wire is usually used. In addition to the reinforcement of the periodic profile, smooth rods are also used. The strength of adhesion to concrete or mortar is significantly lower, but in some cases the use of smooth-rolled reinforcement is justified.

Composite reinforcement for concrete

Modern construction is developing in the direction of greater architectural expressiveness and lower costs. Polymer reinforcement allows you to do this most effectively. An important advantage of polymers in comparison with the metal is significantly less weight and corrosion resistance. These include basalt plastic, carbon plastic, fiberglass reinforcement.

Strength characteristics of polymer reinforcement usually exceed the capabilities of steel. Like steel, composite reinforcement can be a periodic and permanent profile. However, its work under load has its own peculiarities. Unlike steel, fiberglass reinforcement has no fluidity, and when the maximum permissible loads are reached, the element is instantly destroyed.

Steel versus composite: what to choose?

The nature of the work of reinforced concrete assumes the possibility of exposure to moisture on the armature when cracking is opened in products working on bending and stretching. Naturally, this increases the risk of loss of strength and reduces the service life of structures. When concreting or masonry in winter, steel is subjected to aggressive action of frost-resistant additives, which also creates the possibility of a decrease in performance. Polymeric materials allow to avoid the negative impact of corrosion on the bearing elements of buildings and structures. Synthetic fittings provide this. However, composites have poorer fire resistance properties, faster losing their strength when heated. The lower weight of composite fittings is an attractive property for individual and low-rise construction, as a rule, not provided with load-lifting mechanisms. Reducing the cost of transportation and movement on the construction site may amount to a palpable amount.

Pipeline accessories

The range of application of valves on pipelines is very extensive. It is used everywhere, from small-diameter networks in the private sector to massive industrial products. Pipe fittings on distribution networks must meet high requirements for safety and trouble-free operation. These network elements, combining conflicting requirements, can be a very complex configuration. For example, shut-off valves must withstand a hydrodynamic impact that reaches significant values for large pipe diameters. Therefore, the most suitable material is usually considered non-ferrous metals, such as copper and bronze, which make it possible to produce milled and cast products of varying complexity. However, they are of high cost and low strength. Therefore, steel, cast iron and polymers are used as materials from which the reinforcement is produced. The manufacturer guarantees the operational parameters of the products, which makes it possible to make an informed choice of a material.

Polymers in sanitary networks

The spreading of plastic pipes gave impetus to the appearance of reinforcement from plastic or with a significant amount of plastic components. They are most popular in the communal sector and in the private sector. The unquestionable advantage that such an armature has is the less weight and the absence of corrosion of pipes and network elements. Pipes made of polymeric materials can be practically unlimited length, unlike standard sizes of metal. They are easily interconnected in various ways.

Welding of polymers is less time consuming and fireproof, compared to welding metals. In addition to the absence of corrosion, polymer pipes and fittings are not subject to accumulation in the water and heat networks of precipitation, which can lead to overgrowth of the internal space and a decrease in the effective diameter. Shut-off valves, distribution and other, are installed on pipelines using methods used for pipe joints.