International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 2, February- 2013
Reinforcement Couplers As An Alternative To Lap Splices: A Case Study
Singh R.
Himanshu S. K.
Bhalla N.
Department of Civil Engineering,
Department of Civil Engineering,
GET, Ahluwalia
Graphic Era University,
Graphic Era University,
Contracts India Ltd,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, INDIA
Dehradun, Uttarakhand, INDIA
Delhi, INDIA
Introduction
Construction practices in the building of concrete
structures have focused on the use of steel
reinforcement to transfer tension and shear forces.
Lap splicing has become the traditional method of
connecting the steel reinforcing bars. Splicing the
reinforcement bars by laps or welding have various
imperfections such as low quality welds, inadequate
length of laps, failure in joints, increase in labour cost
etc. Present study was focused on the use and
applicability of reinforcement couplers, especially
threaded ones as an alternative to lap splices. A case
study of an under construction site was taken where
couplers were used. An estimation of the cost of
couplers was done. Alternatively, the cost of steel
was also determined for providing lap splices in the
columns. A comparison was done to show the
difference of cost in lapping and use of couplers. It
was found that the use of reinforcement couplers
significantly reduces the consumption of both
construction time and reinforcing steel. It also
increases the overall reliability of reinforcement
splices. This case study included calculations for 14
columns and showed that how couplers have
effectively saved a huge amount of money in a single
building. The reinforcement couplers not only
provide strength to the joints but they are also an
economic means of connections of two bars.
There are three basic ways to splice the bars:
Lap splices, Mechanical connections and
Welded splices. Lapped joints are not
always an appropriate means of connecting
reinforcing bars. The use of laps can be time
consuming in terms of design and
installation and can lead to greater
congestion within the concrete because of
the increased amount of rebar used [1]. It also
increases the overall reliability of
reinforcement splices. Of the three, lap
splicing is the most common and usually the
least expensive. Couplers especially
threaded one can simplify the design and
construction of reinforced concrete and
reduce the amount of reinforcement
required. The coupler system is designed to
connect two pieces of rebar together in the
field quickly and easily. Taper threaded
splices utilize the time-tested, field proven
taper thread for assurance of strength,
consistency and reliability while simplifying
installation. Designed for use with
worldwide grades of rebar, they develop the
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Abstract
Keywords:
Reinforcement
couplers,
Splices, Column, Threading, Joints
Lap
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 2, February- 2013
This transfer of load is influenced by the
deformations, or ribs, on the rebar. In
projects with small bar sizes such as of
number 6 or number 8, relatively low yield
stress in steel and building heights of 15
stories or less, lap splices have performed
well over the long run [5]. In recent years,
however, there has been a shift. Continuing
research, more demanding designs in
concrete,
new
materials
and
the
development of hybrid concrete/structural
steel designs have forced designers to
consider alternatives to lap splicing.
Structural concrete building frames are
being pushed to 100 stories and more.
Current design practice for structural
framing uses bar sizes from number 8 to
number 11 with yields of 60 or 75 ksi. And
concrete strengths of 8000 to 12,000 psi are
accepted by code and increasingly used. Use
of higher-strength concretes allows for
shorter lap lengths. However, these
concretes are more susceptible to splitting
failures, raising questions about the
adequacy and reliability of lap splices.
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full tension splice strength requirement per
numerous design standards [2].
The coupler system is available in several
styles to meet virtually any application. The
applications include standard bar-to-bar
connections, precaging applications, hooked
bar applications, closure pours, precast
connections, rebar
terminations and
anchorages, transition splices, segmental
construction and connections to structural
steel. Most popular splicing systems are
Interlock, Quick wedge, Speed sleeve,
Terminator, Lock, Form saver, Taper thread
splices, and Cad weld splices.
More and more engineers are specifying
mechanical reinforcement connections over
lap splices. They've found that mechanical
connections afford a reliability and
consistency that can't be found with lap
splicing [3]. Lap splices depend upon
concrete for strength so they lack structural
integrity and continuity in construction.
Mechanical splicing assures the maintaining
of the continuity of the Load path in the
reinforcement, independent of the condition
of concrete. Mechanical splices deliver
higher performance than a typical lap splice.
Generally, this is 125% -150% of the
reinforcement bar [4]. Mechanical splice can
bear and can deform more than a lap splice
before failure occurs. Lap splicing, which
requires the overlapping of two parallel bars,
has long been accepted as an effective,
economical splicing method. Lap splices
usually are in contact, but in flexural
members the bars can be separated by as
much as 6 inches. Bond between steel and
concrete transfers the load in one bar to the
concrete and then from the concrete to the
other (continuing) rebar.
Material and Methodology
The research work was divided into different
headings
as
structural
analysis,
manufacturing and specifications, estimation
and comparison made between lap splices
and mechanical splices.
Structural Analysis
The structural study of couplers included in
the study was the initial design equations
given by MSJC. It also includes the earlier
design philosophies for lap splices given by
NCMA and IBC. The study was also carried
www.ijert.org
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 2, February- 2013
out to study the failure of couplers under
tensile load and influence of reinforcement
couplers on the cracking of reinforced
concrete members.
Manufacturing and Specifications [6, 7]
The Positional coupler comprises two
components, a male section and a female
section. The male component has an internal
tapered thread and an extended external
parallel thread. The female component has a
parallel thread and a tapered thread, both of
which are internal. All components,
including the locknut must be tightened
using a torque wrench.
The couplers are installed using following
four steps: a) The coupler is normally
supplied to a reinforcing bar, ready to be
installed and cast in concrete, b) After
casting of the concrete and when ready to
extend, remove the plastic end cap from the
coupler, position the continuation bar in the
sleeve and rotate the bar into the coupler, c)
Continue to screw the bar into the coupler
until tight and d) To ensure correct
installation, tighten the joint to the specified
torque using a calibrated torque wrench on
the continuation bar.
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The different steps included in the
manufacturing of reinforcement couplers
were discussed. The important criterion for
the manufacturing is selection of material.
The study tells about the material selection
for coupler and its installation. A very
important aspect of coupler selection is the
specifications given for them. Each
manufacturer gives its own specification
regarding coupler selection. The study
includes the specifications of a leading
foreign coupler manufacture and Indian
specification for selection of couplers given
by NCT (National Cutting Tools).
Generally couplers are manufactured from
Mild Steel, but in some cases alloys of
different metals can also be used. The
material should be such that couplers meet
the minimum strength requirement (125% of
yield strength of rebar). The manufacturing
of couplers includes different basic steps as
cutting, boring, threading, finishing.
being the potter's wheel. Most suitably
equipped metalworking lathes can also be
used to produce most solids of revolution,
plane surfaces and screw threads or helices.
Ornamental lathes can produce threedimensional solids of incredible complexity.
The material can be held in place by either
one or two centers, at least one of which can
be moved horizontally to accommodate
varying material lengths. Other workholding methods include clamping the work
about the axis of rotation using a chuck, or
to a faceplate, using clamps or dogs.
Couplers are manufactured on a metal lathe
machine. It rotates the work piece on
its axis to perform various operations such
as cutting,
sanding, knurling, drilling,
or deformation with tools that are applied to
the work piece to create an object which
has symmetry about an axis of rotation.
Lathes
are
used
in woodturning, metalworking, metal
spinning, and glass-working. Lathes can be
used to shape pottery, the best-known design
Case study on couplers
A case study was carried out at Jaypee
Greens new undergoing project 'Wish Town
www.ijert.org
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 2, February- 2013
Ls = 48d
Where d is the diameter of the bar.
Estimation
Couplers were installed in Jaypee Greens
new undergoing project 'Wish Town Klassic'
and their estimation was done. Alternatively,
lap splices are calculated for the building.
Here lap splices were determined using two
methods.
Total length of 25mm, 20mm and 16mm
diameter bar was 401.1 m, 453.16m and
52.288 m respectively.
Table 1.0: Calculation of Cost of Lap
Splice (Site Method)
Bar
diameter
(mm)
Weight per
meter =
0.0062 * (d *
d)
[kg/m]
Total
steel
(length *
per m
weight)
Total cost
(total
weight *
45)
[Rs.]
25
3.875
1554.2625
69941
20
2.48
1123.8368
50572
16
1.5872
82.9915
3734
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Klassic' extended over 40 acres in sector129 of Noida, India. The Wish Town
Klassic has a mix of Duplex & Simplex
apartments with 2, 3 & 4 BHK flats, in areas
ranging from 1120 Sq. ft. to 2300 Sq. ft.
This was a case study of an under
construction site where couplers were used
in place of lap splices showing the economic
advantage of couplers on the normal lap
splices.
Total number of columns considered was
14. Size of bars used were 25mm, 20mm,
16mm, 12mm, 10mm in columns only. At
the site, lock type couplers were used in the
columns only. The majority of couplers used
were for 25mm and 20mm diameter bars.
Couplers for 16mm diameter bars were used
only up to 3rd floor. After that laps were
given to 16mm diameter bars. This was done
because the use of couplers for short
diameter bars was coming out to be
uneconomic. Total Number of couplers used
was 1182.
Lap Length of 14 Columns
a) By Site Method:
The site method that was adopted for lap
splices was based on the grade of concrete.
The lap splice was chosen as per the
concrete used in the work as adopted on site.
M30 : 46d
M35 : 40d
M25 : 39d
Where d is the diameter of the bar.
Lap length (IS CODE: 456)
Total length of 25mm, 20mm and 16mm
diameter bar was 422.4 m, 482.86m and
58.368 m respectively.
Table 2.0: Calculation of Cost of Lap
Splice (IS Code Formula)
Bar
diameter
(mm)
Weight per
metre =
0.0062 *(d *d)
[kg/m]
Total Steel
(Length *
Weight
per metre)
Total
cost
(total
wt * 45)
25
3.875
1636.8000
73656
20
2.48
1197.54
53889
16
1.5872
92.642
4169
b) By IS-456 Method
As a standard method IS 456 specifies a
formula for determining the lap length in
any structural member. As per IS code lap
splice is given by the formula:
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International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 2, February- 2013
Table 3.0: Calculation of Cost of Couplers
Bar
diameter
(mm)
25
Number of
couplers (x)
Total cost
( 36*x )
432
15552
20
644
22968
16
114
4104
This case study shows how couplers have
effectively saved a huge amount of money
in a single building. The total couplers cost
Rs. 42,840 which is very less than what
would have been spent if lapping would
have been done by using site method or
simply IS specification. This estimation was
limited only to the fourteen columns whose
details were made available from the
company.
The report concludes that the added
structural and economic advantages of
mechanical splices over laps make the
benefit-to-cost ratio extremely attractive
because mechanical splices give the
structures added toughness and load path
continuity that laps cannot offer. The
reinforcement couplers not only provide
strength to the joints but are they are also an
economic means of connections of two bars.
The taper-threaded splice is a widely used
mechanical splicing system worldwide.
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Rate of reinforcement bar as per New Delhi
rates was taken as Rs. 45 per kilogram and
rate of a single piece of coupler was taken as
Rs. 36.
Then a comparison of the cost was done to
determine the amount of money saved by
the company in using couplers. This case
study indicates the economic advantage of
couplers on the normal lap splices.
splice. It is the simplest type of coupler
used in the column.
Comparison
Finally a comparison is made between lap
splices and mechanical splices in terms of
the strength, economy and feasibility.
Table 4.0: Cost Comparisons in Rs.
Coupler
cost
Lap Splice cost
(site method)
Lap Splice cost
(IS Code)
42,840
1,24,247
1,31,714
Conclusion
This case study has included calculations for
only 14 columns whose details were
available from the site. This shows that
couplers are an effective and an economic
replacement of lap splice. This coupler used
at the site is known as tapered thread
Splices are designed for use on worldwide
standard grades of rebar and many
international standards. No special high
strength, enlarged thread section or
increased rebar size is necessary, thus
allowing the supply of reinforced bar from
multiple sources for maximum cost savings.
These splices are the slimmest couplers
available today and their innovative taperthreaded design makes them one of the most
reliable systems on the market. The taperthreaded splice is a widely used mechanical
splicing system worldwide.
www.ijert.org
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 2, February- 2013
The mechanical rebar couplers used on the
project quickly and easily connect two
pieces of rebar. The couplers use the timetested, field-proven taper thread for
assurance of strength, consistency and
reliability while simplifying installation and
saving time.
[7] Masonry Standards Joint Committee:
Building Code Requirements for Masonry
Structures, 2005.
The couplers were considerably more cost
effective and time saving than welding the
bars together.
References:
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[1] James R. Cagley and Richard Apple,
Economic Analysis: Mechanical Butt
Splices vs. Lap Splicing in Reinforced
Concrete Construction, a study by Cagley
and Associates, Rockville, Md., for Erico
Inc., 1997.
[2] ACI 318-95, Building Code
Requirements for Reinforced Concrete,
American Concrete Institute, Farmington
Hills, Mich., 1995.
[3]
John
W.
Wallace,
Headed
Reinforcement a Viable Option, Concrete
International, ACI, December 1997.
[4] Russell S. Fling, Practical Design of
Reinforced Concrete, John Wiley & Sons,
New York, 1987.
[5] Influence of Reinforcement Couplers on
the Cracking of Reinforced Concrete
Members, Vidmantas Jokbaitis1, Linas
Jukneviius
[6] Masonry Standards Joint Committee:
Building Code Requirements for Masonry
Structures, 2002.
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