An Assessment of Torsional Parameters of Steel Reinforcement Used in the Nigerian Construction Industry

This paper determined the torsional strength of steel reinforcements used in the construction industry in Nigeria and compares their Modulus of Rigidity with available standards. Fifteen test specimens were examined from the reinforcing steel of various sizes ranging from 8mm to 20mm diameter which were sourced randomly. The samples were tested with the Torsion Testing Machine until failure. The initial parameters such as gauge length and diameter were considered before the application of torque. The failure torque for the 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 16mm and 20mm steel reinforcements obtained from the test are 15Nm, 28.81Nm, 77.09Nm, 191.89Nm and 368.99Nm respectively. The result showed that the torsional strength of reinforcement available in the construction industry is below the standard modulus of rigidity of 21000N/mm2 by about 15%.