Some design examples using

high strength rebar

1. Reinforcing bar standards
2. Allowable strength of reinforcing bar
3. Case study of high strength rebar
4. Conclusions

2019. 2
POSCO Vietnam Holdings, POSCO SS VINA

0/17
1. Reinforcing bar standards

Korea Vietnam: Revised ‘18.10 for CB600

Vietnam: TCVN 1651-2 (2018) Steel for reinforcement
Korea: KS D 3504 (2016) Steel bars for concrete reinforcement of concrete Part 2: Ribbed bars
Designation YS (MPa) TS (MPa) Elong(%) Designation YS (MPa) TS (MPa) Elong(%)
≥16 for No. 2 specimen ≥16 after break
SD300 300~420 ≥1.15YS CB300-V 300 450
≥18 for No. 3 specimen ≥8 at maximum force
≥16 for No. 2 specimen ≥14 after break
SD400 400~520 ≥1.15YS CB400-V 400 570
≥18 for No. 3 specimen ≥8 at maximum force
≥12 for No. 2 specimen ≥14 after break
SD500 500~650 ≥1.08YS CB500-V 500 650
≥14 for No. 3 specimen ≥8 at maximum force
≥10 for No. 2 specimen ≥10 after break
SD600 600~780 ≥1.08YS CB600-V 600 710
≥10 for No. 3 specimen ≥8 at maximum force
≥10 for No. 2 specimen
SD700 700~910 ≥1.08YS
≥10 for No. 3 specimen Japan
≥16 for No. 2 specimen
SD400W 400~520 ≥1.15YS Japan: JIS G 3112 (2010): Steel bars for concrete reinforcement
≥18 for No. 3 specimen
≥12 for No. 2 specimen Designation YS (MPa) TS (MPa) Elong(%)
SD500W 500~650 ≥1.15YS
≥14 for No. 3 specimen ≥16 for No. 2 specimen
SD295A ≥295 440~600
≥16 for No. 2 specimen ≥17 for No. 14A specimen
SD400S 400~520 ≥1.25YS
≥18 for No. 3 specimen ≥16 for No. 2 specimen
SD295B 295~390 ≥440
≥12 for No. 2 specimen ≥17 for No. 14A specimen
SD500S 500~620 ≥1.25YS
≥14 for No. 3 specimen ≥18 for No. 2 specimen
SD345 345~440 ≥490
≥10 for No. 2 specimen ≥19 for No. 14A specimen
SD600S 600~720 ≥1.25YS
≥10 for No. 3 specimen ≥16 for No. 2 specimen
SD390 390~510 ≥560
※ W: For welding applications, S: For seismic appplications ≥17 for No. 14A specimen
≥12 for No. 2 specimen
SD490 490~625 ≥620
≥13 for No. 14A specimen
1/17
1. Reinforcing bar standards

USA
700
USA: ASTM A615 (2018) Standard specification for
600
deformed and plain carbon-steel bars for concrete

Designation YS (MPa) TS (MPa) Elong(%) 500

Min. YS (MPa)
400
Grade 40 280 420 11~12
300
Grade 60 420 620 7~9
200
Grade 75 520 690 6~7
Grade 80 550 725 6~7
100
Grade 100 690 790 6~7
※ Elongation depends on diameter of rebar 0
Vietnam Korea Japan USA EU

EU
☞ Most of country uses high strength rebar of
YS 600 MPa for cost effective design.
EU: EN 1992-1-1 (2004) Annex C

Designation YS (MPa) TS (MPa) Strain at max. foce (%)

A 400~600 ≥1.05YS ≥2.5
B 400~600 ≥1.08YS ≥5.0
C 400~600 ≥1.15YS, <1.35 ≥7.5

2/17
2. Allowable strength of reinforcing bar

Rebar strength (MPa) in the design codes for various countries

KCI, 2012 ACI 318, 2014 TCVN 5574, JSCE, BDS, 2012 AASHTO, 22TCN-05
Member Eurocode2
(Building) (Building) 2012 (Building) 2007 (Bridge) 2017 (Bridge) (Bridge)
Building
Structure Building Bridge
/Bridge

Country Korea USA Vietnam EU Japan Korea USA Vietnam

Main 560
600
Flexural reinforcement (80 ksi)
member Shear 420 690
500 600
reinforcement (60ksi) (100 ksi,
(general)
general)
Main 560
600 500 600 490 500
reinforcement (80 ksi)
Flexural 560
and Tie 420 500
500 (80 ksi,
axial reinforcement (60 ksi) (earthquake)
earthquake)
member
Spiral 420
500
reinforcement (60 ksi)

☞ Korean building design code (KCI, 2012) allows the use of high strength rebar up to YS of 600 MPa.

※ Vietnam building design code (TCVN 5574, 2012) needs to be revised to consider newly updated rebar
standard TCVN 1651-2.

3/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea
Seung-Ho Cho, Seunguk Na (2017), The quantity variations of the high-strength
Case 1: Underground parking structure reinforcing bars on the underground parking in a rigid-fram building, Int. Journal of
Applied Engineering Research, Vol. 12, No. 8, pp. 1488-1499.

Drawings 32.6 m Structure

 Purpose: Underground parking space
 Structure type: Rigid frame`
 Footing type: Mat footing (bearing capacity of soil)
 Concrete compressive strength: fck = 24 MPa

Rebar application

Member Main rebar Shear rebar

Slab O X
Beam and Girder
` O O
Column O O
`
112 m

Wall O X
Retaining wall O X
Footing O X

Design code KCI: Korea Concrete Institute, KBC: Korea Building Code

 Concrete structure design code (KCI, 2012)

 Building structure design code (KBC, 2009)
`
[Max. allowable rebar strength (MPa, KCI 2012)]
Bending Bending + Axial
Main rebar Shear rebar Main rebar Strip Hoop
[Ground floor] [basement floor] 600 500 600 500 500

4/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea
Case 1: Underground parking structure

Slab (Main rebar) Beam and Girder (Main rebar + Shear rebar)
Rebar Total Pure Rebar Connection/
Diameter Main Rebar (ton) Shear
grade (ton) (ton) Splice (ton)
Rebar Total
D10 0.99 0.93 0.06 Pure Connection/ Sub Rebar
grade (ton) 1)
SD400
D13 62.06 57.29 4.77 rebar Spice Total (ton)2)
D16 8.08 7.29 0.79
SD400 126.7 81.18 13.7 94.88 31.79
Sum 71.13 65.51 5.62
SD500 101.3 64.1 11.82 75.92 25.35
D10 19.37 18.07 1.3
D13 32.26 29.3 2.96 SD600 87.26 54.02 7.89 61.91 25.35
SD500
D16 3.51 3.02 0.49 1) D25, D22, D19 for SD400, SD500, SD600, respectively
Sum 55.14 50.39 4.75 2) D13, Max. allowable stregnth for shear is 500 MPa
D10 28.57 26.6 1.97
SD600 D13 21.05 18.66 2.39
Sum `
49.62 45.26 4.36
140
100% ` Shear rebar
80 120 Main rebar
100% Connection/Splice 80%
70 100
69%

Quantity (ton)
Pure rebar
60 78% 80
70%
Quantity (ton)

50
60
40
30 40
20 20
10
0
0
SD400 SD500 SD600
SD400 SD500 SD600

5/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea
Case 1: Underground parking structure

Column (Main rebar + Shear rebar) Wall (Main rebar)

Vertical Rebar (ton) Horizontal Rebar (ton)

Main Rebar (ton) Shear Rebar Total

Pure Connection/ Sub Pure Connection/ Sub
Rebar Total grade (ton) Diameter
rebar Spice Total
Diameter
rebar Spice Total
Pure Connection/ Sub Rebar
grade (ton) D13 9.94 1.91 11.85 D10 0.76 0.01 0.77

rebar1) Spice Total (ton)2) SD400 33.35 D16

Sum
9.8
19.74
1.94
3.85
11.74
23.59
D13
Sum
8.52
9.28
0.47
0.48
8.99
9.76
SD400 25.69 15.79 7.36 23.15 2.54 SD500 32.08
D13 12.09 2.93 15.02 D10 0.76 0.01 0.77
D16 5.74 1.44 7.18 D13 8.52 0.59 9.11
SD500 24.93 14.16 8.23 22.39 2.54 Sum 17.83 4.37 22.2 Sum 9.28 0.6 9.88
D13 13.16 3.06 16.22
SD600 23.83 12.54 8.75 21.29 2.54 SD600 30.93 D16 3.82 1.01 4.83 Use SD500 horizontal rebar
Sum 16.98 4.07 21.05
1) D22
2) D10, Max. allowable stregnth for shear is 500 Mpa
40
Horizontal rebar
30
` 35 100% ` 96% Vertical rebar
100% Shear rebar
97%
25 Main rebar 30 93%
93%

Quantity (ton)
25
Quantity (ton)

20
20
15 15

10 10
5
5
0
0 SD400 SD500 SD600
SD400 SD500 SD600

6/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea
Case 1: Underground parking structure

Footing (Main rebar) Total quantity

Rebar Total Pure Rebar Connection/ Grade Total (ton) Slab(ton) Beam (ton) Column (ton) Wall (ton) Footing (ton)
Diameter
grade (ton) (ton) Splice (ton) Pure
365.95 65.51 112.97 18.33 29.02 140.12
rebar
D16 78.73 64.58 14.15
Connection/
SD400 66.62 5.62 13.7 7.36 4.33 35.61
D19 31.97 27.62 4.35 Spice
SD400
D22 65.03 47.92 17.11 Sub
432.57 71.13 126.67 25.69 33.35 175.73
Total
Sum 175.73 140.12 35.61 Pure
301.67 51.69 89.45 16.7 27.11 116.72
D16 66.27 53.06 13.21 rebar
D19 28.02 23.39 4.63 Connection/
SD500 63.43 4.75 11.82 8.23 4.97 33.66
SD500 Spice
D22 56.09 40.27 15.82 Sub
365.1 56.44 101.27 24.93 32.08 150.38
Sum 150.38 116.72 33.66 Total
Pure
D13 21.11 16.94 4.17 265.3 45.26 79.37 15.08 26.26 99.33
rebar
D16 57.54 46.21 11.33 Connection/
SD600 SD600 54.23 4.36 7.89 8.75 4.67 28.56
D19 49.24 36.18 13.06 Spice

Sum `
127.89 99.33 28.56 Sub
Total
319.53 49.62 ` 87.26 23.83 30.93 127.89

180 100%
Connection/Splice Footing Wall Column Beam Slab
160 86% Pure rebar 500
100%
140 73%
400 84%
Quantity (ton)

120
74%

Quantity (ton)
100 300
80
60 200

40
100
20
0 0
SD400 SD500 SD600
SD400 SD500 SD600

7/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea
Case 1: Underground parking structure 1.080
SD400 SD500 SD600
 Cost comparison (rebar, fabrication, labor) 1.060

Rebar material cost ratio

1.040
Grade Total Slab Beam Column Wall Footing
SD400 660.56 100% 108.90 193.40 39.23 51.01 268.03 1.020
SD500 569.44 86% 86.73 158.41 39.01 50.30 235.00 1.000
SD600 507.53 77% 79.45 138.06 37.82 49.03 203.18 0.980
Assumptions 0.960
① The rebar price in Korea is considered.
0.940
② The material cost of SD400-D10 is assumed as 1.0. D10 D13 D16 D19 D22 D25 D29 D32
③ Fabrication cost is assumed as 1% of SD400-D10 price. Diameter
④ Labor cost is assumed as 53% of SD-400-D10 price

 Summary
- For slab, beam, footing, the effect of high strength rebar is large because the applied loads are large.
- When the structure with SD500, SD600 is designed in compliance with Korean codes, the total amount
of rebar can be reduced by 16%, 26%, respectively compared to SD400. The total cost (rebar, fabrication,
labor) can be reduced by 14%, 23% respectively.
- The combined use of SD400, SD500, SD600 can be considered for better handling of rebar size in the
construction site.

8/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea Seung-Ho Cho, Chang-Kil Ju, In-Kwan Park, Lan
Chung (2013), Economic analysis on the hig strength
reinforcing bar in the apartment, Journal of Seismic
Retrofitting Remodeling Research, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp.
Case 2: Living apartment (25 story with 1 underground story) 9-17 (in Korean).

14.6 m
Drawings Structure
11.3 m
 Purpose: Living apartment
 Structure type: RC
 Footing type: Mat footing (bearing capacity of soil)
 `
Concrete compressive strength:
fck = 24 MPa for 11F~RF Vertical member, B1~RF
Horizontal member, foundation
fck = 27 MPa for B1~10F Vertical member

49.7 m Rebar application

` Member Main rebar Shear rebar
Slab O X
Beam
` O X
Column X X
Wall O O
Retaining wall O X
Footing O X

Design code KCI: Korea Concrete Institute, KBC: Korea Building Code

 Concrete structure design`code (KCI, 2012)

[standard floor] [basement floor]  Building structure design code (KBC, 2009)

9/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea
Case 2: Living apartment (25 story with 1 underground story)

Slab (Main rebar) Beam and Girder (Main rebar + Shear rebar)

Rebar Total Pure Rebar Connection/

Diameter Main Rebar (ton)1) Shear
grade (ton) (ton) Splice (ton) Rebar Total
D10 133.23 126.46 6.77 Pure Connection/ Sub Rebar
grade (ton)
SD400 D13 13.37 13.37 0 rebar Spice Total (ton)2)
Sum 146.6 139.83 6.77 SD400 55.14 17.46 16.38 33.84 21.3
D10 115.78 108.6 7.18 SD500 58.2 17.46 20.5 37.96 20.24
SD500 D13 13.45 13.45 0 SD600 44.14 11.13 12.77 23.9 20.24
Sum 129.23 122.05 7.18 1) D16, D16, D13 for SD400, SD500, SD600, respectively
D10 117.17 108.6 8.57 2) D10, Max. allowable stregnth for shear is 500 MPa
SD600 D13 13.45 13.45 0
Sum 130.62 122.05 8.57
` 70
`
160 Connection/Splice
100% 106% Shear rebar
Pure rebar 60 100%
140
88% 89% Main rebar
120 50
80%

Quantity (ton)
Quantity (ton)

100 40
80 30
60
20
40
10
20
0
0
SD400 SD500 SD600
SD400 SD500 SD600

10/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea
Case 2: Living apartment (25 story with 1 underground story)

Wall (Main rebar) Footing (Main rebar)

Rebar Total
Vertical Rebar (ton) Horizontal Rebar (ton)
Rebar Total Pure Rebar Connection/
grade (ton) Diameter
Pure Connection/ Sub
Diameter
Pure Connection/ Sub
Diameter
D10
rebar
64.49
Spice
7.06
Total
71.55 D10
rebar
116.08
Spice
0.37
Total
116.45
grade (ton) (ton) Splice (ton)
D13 16.91 2.39 19.3 D13 6.97 0.12 7.09 D19 12.85 10.87 1.98
D16 18.1 3.25 21.35 sum 123.05 0.49 123.54
SD400 253.07
D19 13.33 3.31 16.64 SD400 D22 17.55 13.98 3.57
D22 0.53 0.16 0.69
sum 113.36 16.17 129.53 Sum 30.4 24.85 5.55
D10 68.25 9.29 77.54 D10 116.08 0.46 116.54
D13 12.27 2.2 14.47 D13 6.97 0.15 7.12 D16 0.36 0.36 0
SD500 247.55 D16 16.29 3.59 19.88 sum 123.05 0.61 123.66
D19 9.17 2.83 12 SD500 D19 25.06 20.39 4.67
sum 105.98 17.91 123.89
D10 69.61 11.2 80.81 Sum 25.42 20.75 4.67
D13 13.4 2.93 16.33
SD600 241.19 D16 12.63 3.42 16.05 Use SD500 Horizontal rebar D16 9.18 7.53 1.65
D19
sum
2.98
98.62
1.36
18.91
4.34
117.53
SD600 D19 13.06 10.35 2.71
Sum 22.24 17.88 4.36
` `
300 35
100% Horizontal rebar
100% Connection/Splice
98% Vertical rebar 30
250 95% Pure rebar
84%
25 73%

Quantity (ton)
Quantity (ton)

200
20
150
15
100
10
50
5
0 0
SD400 SD500 SD600
SD400 SD500 SD600

11/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Korea
Case 2: Living apartment (25 story with 1 underground story)
Grade Total (ton) Slab(ton) Beam (ton) Wall (ton) Footing (ton) Total quantity
Pure
439.85 139.83 38.76 236.41 24.85
rebar
Footing Wall Beam Slab
Connection/
SD400 45.36 6.77 16.38 16.66 5.55 500
Spice
100% 102% 90%
Sub
485.21 146.6 55.14 253.07 30.4
Total 400
Pure
426.97 122.05 55.14 229.03 20.75

Quantity (ton)
rebar
300
Connection/
SD500 68.07 7.18 37.7 18.52 4.67
Spice
Sub 200
495.04 129.23 92.84 247.55 25.42
Total
Pure
392.97 122.05 31.37 221.67 17.88 100
rebar
Connection/
SD600 45.22 8.57 12.77 19.52 4.36
Spice 0
Sub
`
SD400 SD500 SD600
438.19 130.62 44.14 241.19 22.24
Total

 Cost comparison (rebar, fabrication, labor)

Grade Total Slab Beam Wall Footing
SD400 746.72 100% 226.18 84.50 389.67 46.37
SD500 725.86 97% 204.20 91.33 390.61 39.72
SD600 698.75 94% 209.66 70.10 383.68 35.31
 Summary
- The effect of high strength rebar is less than underground parking structure
: Rebar for wall is around 50% of total rebar quantity → the effect of high strength rebar is small
because there is no high strength effect for horizontal rebar and vertical rebar is determined by min.
amount and spacing rather than member force.
12/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Vietnam
POSCO (2019), Alternative design using CB600
8-story office building (Designed by Vietnam Company)

Wall (Main rebar) Structure

 Purpose: Office
 Structure type: Rigid frame`
 Footing type: Pile footing
 Concrete: B30 (M400)

Case study

Members Case 1 Case 2

• TCVN 2373-1995: Loads and effect
• TCVN 9386-2012: Design of structures for
Design codes earthquake resistances
33.7m
` •
•
KCI-USD12 Korean Concrete Institute
ACI318-11 American Concrete Institute
Rebar grade CB300, CB400 CB500, CB600
Design S/W midas GEN 2015
`
 KCI-USD12 allows the rebar strength up to 600 MPa
 KCI-USD12 and ACI318-11 are incorporated in midas GEN
software for easy implementation.

[Cost calculation assumptions]

① Fabrication cost is assumed as 750,000 VND/ton.
② Installation (labor) cost is assumed as 3,000,000 VND/ton

13/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Vietnam
8-story office building

Foundation Column
[Case 1-CB300, CB400] [Case 2-CB500, CB600]
[Case 1-CB300, CB400] Grade Diameter Weight(ton) Grade Diameter Weight(ton)
Grade Diameter Weight(ton) CB300 D10 13.96 CB500 D10 15.69
CB400 D12 3.46 CB300 D12 0.81 CB500 D12 1.35
CB400 D16 0.34 CB300 D16 2.40 CB600 D16 4.88
CB400 D18 0.30 CB400
CB400
D16
D18
2.42
0.34
` CB600
CB600
D18
D20
9.49
14.98
CB400 D20 1.61
CB400 D22 1.44 CB400 D20 17.06 CB600 D22 1.05
CB400 D25 2.94 CB400 D22 16.96 CB600 D25 4.96
CB400 D28 2.59 CB400 D25 2.85 CB600 D28 0.88
Sum 12.67 CB400 D28 3.76 Sum 53.28
Sum 60.55
[Case 2-CB500, CB600] • 12% reduction in weight
` Grade Diameter Weight(ton)
CB600 D12 3.46
CB600 D14 0.34 Slab
CB600 D18 1.60
CB600 D20 0.42
[Case 1-CB300, CB400] [Case 2-CB500, CB600]
CB600 D22 0.94 Grade Diameter Weight(ton) Grade Diameter Weight(ton)
CB600 D25 5.01 CB400 D10 74.31 CB600 D10 68.38
Sum 11.76 CB400 D12 29.67 CB600 D12 25.63
CB400 D16 19.07 ` CB600 D16 17.03
CB400 D18 67.49 CB600 D18 25.13
• 7% reduction in weight
CB400 D20 1.61 CB600 D22 6.16
CB400 D22 6.55 Sum 142.33
Sum 198.71

• 28% reduction in weight

14/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Vietnam
8-story office building

Retaining wall Beam

[Case 1-CB300, CB400] [Case 2-CB500, CB600]

[Case 1 & Case 2] Grade Diameter Weight(ton) Grade Diameter Weight(ton)
Grade Diameter Weight(ton) CB300 D10 29.81 CB500 D10 28.61
CB400 D6 0.00 CB300 D12 11.23 CB500 D12 7.77
CB400 D10 2.13 CB300 D14 2.90 CB600 D12 2.59
CB400 D12 8.22 CB400 D12 1.35 CB600 D16 20.97

CB400 D18 0.21

CB400
CB400
D16
D18
3.31
18.05
` CB600
CB600
D18
D20
8.01
1.99
Sum 10.57
CB400 D20 6.03 CB600 D22 33.40
CB400 D22 11.94 CB600 D25 24.77
CB400 D25 36.90 CB600 D28 25.43
CB400 D28 90.80 Sum 153.54
Sum 212.32
`
• 28% reduction in weight
☞ There is no additional effect of high strength for
retailing wall.
☞ CB600 can be used for better rebar stock
management or CB400 can be used to save the
construction cost.

15/17
3. Case study of high strength rebar - Vietnam
8-story office building

Total
Slab
495
Beam Material
(100%)
Retainig wall 17% Fabricaion
372
(75%) Column
Slab 4% Construction

Foundation
Beam
Retainig wall

Case 1 Case 2 Column 79%

Foundation

`
Case 1 Case 2
[Total rebar quantities (ton)] [Cost composition of Case 1]

 Summary
- The effect of high strength rebar for slab and beam (more than 80% of total amount of required rebar)
is large, so the total amount of rebar is reduced as 25%.
- The fabrication and construction cost of rebar is proportional to weight of rebar, so the fabrication and
construction cost of Case 2 can be reduced 25% which is around 5% of total construction cost of Case 1.
- The material cost also can be reduced for Case 2 because of 25% reduction in total amount of required
rebar.
16/17
4. Conclusions
High strength rebar CB600
 Recently, rebar standard of Vietnam (TCVN 1651-2) has been revised to incorporate high strength rebar,
i.e., CB600 (YS 600 MPa).
 Cost effective design is possible using high strength rebar by reducing the total required amount of rebar
(reduce diameter and/or amount).
 When the amount of rebar is reduced, the fabrication and installation cost of rebar will be reduced
simultaneously.
※ Currently, Only SS VINA can produce high strength rebar, i.e., CB600.

Alternative design results using high strength rebar

Korea case – SD600 (similar to CB600)

 The total amount and cost are reduced as 26% and 23%, respectively for underground parking lot when
compared to SD400 application.
 The total amount and cost are reduced as 10% and 6%, respectively for 25-story living apartment when
compare to SD400 application.
Vietnam case – CB600

 The total amount is reduced as 25% for 8-story office building when compared to CB400 application.

☞ The effect of high strength rebar depends on the structure type as well as loading conditions.

17/17
Any further questions to
 Dr. Kyu-Sik PARK, POSCO Vietnam Holdings
- kyusik.park@posco.com
- 090 140 4740
 Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, POSCO SS VINA
- xuananh33@posco-ssvina.com
- 093 584 3841