Importance of welded wire mesh in the construction industry
Usage of the mesh in the construction industry promises a lot of advantages that include reduction in labor costs, reduction of wastage in construction materials, safer environment and minimal rework due to damages in concrete. Welded wire mesh is also the solution for achievement requirements in quality, speed, reliability and efficiency in the industry. The significance of welded wire mesh was not immediately known to the industry but due to enhanced competitiveness, engineers started to discover the potential of wire mesh. Reinforced concrete is the backbone of any infrastructure particularly its performance.
Wire mesh used in construction is cold-rolled longitudinal and cross wires with high strength and electrical resistance. The mesh is welded together in a square or rectangular grid using a continuous automatic welder that is electronically controlled. The welding process employs the principles of fusion and pressure so that the intersecting wires can be fused into a homogenous section without loss in tensile strength. Weld shear strength plays a very significant role particularly when lapping of the mesh fabric is necessary once it is embedded into concrete. It must also satisfy the criteria for quality and high
The mesh can be cut with ordinary cutters before it is placed in concrete that has been poured at about one half of the desired slab thickness. There must be no delay in placing the reinforcement so that they will bond completely. Another method used by engineers is to place piles of ready mix at every three to five feet on the prepared subgrade with the mesh fabric placed across the piles. This eliminates the need to make two pours of concrete. Another variation is to have brickbats of proper height placed above the sub-grade prior to the arrival of the ready-mix truck. The mix must always be distributed evenly with the fabric embedded around so that it will properly perform the function of adding tensile strength to a finished slab.
The application of welded wire mesh covers a wide scope and it is used in almost every conceivable reinforced concrete structure. The tremendous savings in cost, time and labor achieved through welded wire mesh makes it a popular material for various applications in the construction industry. It is not only concrete driveways and sidewalks that require the wire mesh; it can also be used as reinforcement for concrete walls, floor slabs and staircases and pre-cast concrete components. However, it is always critical to ensure that specifications are strictly followed.