Flexibility is one of the most crucial attributes of superior quality TMT bars. Flexibility is the quality of TMT bars which helps them to bear the extra loads during natural calamities like earthquakes or floods. If a TMT Bar is not flexible enough then it will not be able to withstand the strong shock waves causes during natural calamities.

This is the reason why TMT bars are used in almost all sorts of construction today especially in countries like India, China, Japan, etc. as they are prone to earthquakes.

Apart from being highly flexible, the best TMT bars also feature properties like fire resistance and corrosion resistance and that is why they are preferred over other types of steel bars for construction activities.

How TMT bars are made flexible?

Below we have mentioned how the manufacturing of TMT bars using hot rolling mills helps achieve flexibility.

The manufacturing process of TMT bars involves thermal processing that involves compression and rolling of the bars through heat-treatment, water quenching, and heating and cooling at various temperatures.

The entire process of manufacturing is usually carried out by passing the steel through the rolling mills at a very high temperature(usually above 1100 degrees Celsius). This is done to lower the thickness of the steel and give a proper shape to the steel sections.

Related: Why Ribs Are Important For Best Quality TMT Bars?

The quenching process of TMT bars is done in a quenching box in a controlled environment. There is also a special water system that cools only the surface of the bar while the core part retains heat. After that, self-tempering is done by providing heat to the surface.

This process hardens the outer layer of the TMT bars while the inner part (core) remains soft. This is how TMT bars achieve flexibility and other special properties like high tensile strength and ductility.

It is the manufacturing process of TMT bars that helps it to withstand high-stress load-bearing capacity in large-scale structures like dams, high-rise buildings, or flyovers and make it safe from natural calamities like earthquakes.

There is another famous process called the water-spray process that increases the tensile strength of the TMT bars making them easily moldable, which gives the TMT bar its superior flexibility.

Flexibility Test

There is a flexibility test for TMT bars called the ‘Bending & Re-bending’ test. It involves bending the bars at 135 degrees and kept in boiling water for about half an hour. Later it is re-bent to approximately 157.50 degrees. The purpose of the test is to ensure that the TMT bars feature the perfect balance of strength and flexibility.

Conclusion

Fe 500D Grade TMT bars are recommended for all types of construction purposes as they feature a perfect combination of strength and flexibility as per IS standards. At Shyam Metalics, we manufacture the best quality TMT bars which feature a perfect combination of strength and flexibility which can withstand seismic activities.