Comparative Analysis of Commercially Available Reinforced Steel Bars in Kano-Nigeria (Case Study: Kofar Ruwa Market)

Abstract

Due to rising concern for the collapse of building in some parts of Nigeria, the mechanical properties of steel rebar’s commercially available in the Kano market, Kano state-Nigeria was experimentally investigated. A three different Samples consist of 10 mm, 12 mm, 16 mm diameter bars from three different companies in Nigeria were collected from Kofar Ruwa Iron Rods Market and tested in the Laboratory to ascertain its quality. A total of 24 specimens tested using a 600 kN Universal Tensile Testing Machine. Results obtained showed that Nigerian Spanish Engineering Steel Limited Sharada had the highest percentage of reinforcement samples meeting the appropriate standards while the Abuja Steel Mills Limited had the lowest. A total of 75% of the bars tested partially complied with BS 4449:1997 provisions, 12.5% of the bars tested fully complied, while 12.5% failed to comply with the Code’s requirement in the aspect of yield stress at 460 N/mm2, ultimate/yield stress ratio at 1.15 and percentage elongation at 14%.