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Electrical conductivity of steel reinforcing bar

Electrical conductivity of steel reinforcing bar

Electrical conductivity of steel reinforcing bar

(OP)
I understand it's not a very important steel property. For stray current control requirements I need to electrically connect all rebar in the base slab and to provide continuously welded bars equivalent to 70mm^2 of cooper. Searched the web, have found electrical conductivities for all imaginable materials... except for reinforcing steel. Normally material conductivity is given as a percentage of cooper conductivity.
 
Greatly appreciate your help!

Yakpol

RE: Electrical conductivity of steel reinforcing bar

It's not a bad conductor.  On two of the projects I'm working on, all reinforcing steel is electrically connected using exothermic welding.  These are high voltage switch yard and switch house components for 134 KVa equipment, and everything is at well earthed.

Dik

RE: Electrical conductivity of steel reinforcing bar

(OP)
PSlem,
Thanks for the reference, I just have a hard time with units conversion.converting Surge Amperes Per Foot into S/m (Siemence per meter). For bar diameter 1.0"  Surge = 8150 Amperes/ft. What is equivalent in S/m (Siemens/meter)? Shame I forgot electricity almost completely.

RE: Electrical conductivity of steel reinforcing bar

The data in PSlem reference gives the amount on amperage some length of rebar of a given size can pass to the soil in the conditions described.

It seems you simply need the conductivity of steel to ensure you can deliver the same current than 70 mm2 of copper, to the purpose of selecting some section.

The conductivities in A/(mm^2·V/m) = m/(ohm·mm^2) are

Cu        56
Al        35
Fe         8.5
Steel Wire 6.7




 

RE: Electrical conductivity of steel reinforcing bar

Some more values, from other source,

m/(ohm·mm^2)

Pure Iron              10.22

Commercial Galvanized
   Siemens-Martin       6.14
   High Strenght        4.97
   Extra High Strenght  4.77

Contact Rails           7.81 to 6.33

 

RE: Electrical conductivity of steel reinforcing bar

(OP)
Gentlemen, thank you for your help!

Yakpol

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