Driving rebar into an existing wall
Driving rebar into an existing wall
(OP)
Dealing with a situation where a bunch of dowels into the top of a concrete parapet wall were left out. Contractors solution (no, he didn't ask first) was to drill 3/4" diameter holes into the top of the wall and pound #6 rebar into the holes, some centered only a couple of inches from the edge of the concrete. My feeling is that this is a very bad idea, but after dilegent research I can come up with nothing solid (codes, research)to back my opinion up. Any thoughts, information or research out there on this topic? Thanks.






RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
He will not find it.
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
No I wouldn't accept it. Make him provide data supporting this method. I suspect there is none so then he can do pull tests on the bar, which he pays for of course. Or he can just replace them in some approved manner. When I bring up testing the contractor generally backs off because he knows what he did isn't going to work.
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
Do these bars run along the entire length of the wall ("A") or do the protrude from the top of the wall ("B").
I find it hard to believe the contractor would drill a hole the entire length of the wall as show in "A"..... but I wouldn't put it past one.
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
what is bonding the bars to the concrete?
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
Yeah, I do blame the contractor for trying. Had a cantilevered retaining wall detailed with hooked bars into the footing (clearly called out on the drawing). Showed up on site to find that the contractor had laid straight bar for the tail of the hook and pushed vertical bars into the soil at the end of horizontal straight bar.
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
wow, all these strong opinions and you are the first one to actually ask what these dowels are for!
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
If I called for dowels and they were installed in the manner described, I don't care what they are doing, I am not accepting them.
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
Here's the real question though: What did the drawings say to do? Were they supposed to be lapped with the previous bars, drill & epoxied, called out with no instruction or omitted?
RE: Driving rebar into an existing wall
LOL.
My own mental image was more along the lines of Tinker Toys.