Reinforcement in Sidewalks

[sjhgeotech]

What minimum reinforcement is required in sidewalks? Is ACI-318 the source?

Thanks.

 

[MotorCity]

Assuming the sidewalk is on grade, none.

 

[scottiesei]

Check with the local LDC. I have seen requirements which vary from jurisdictions. It is not a design issue, more of a maintenance one.

 

[JAE]

ACI 318 does not deal with soil supported slabs (1.1.6)

 

[SlideRuleEra]

With no reinforcement required, I consider sidewalks to be a good candidate for use of polypropylene fibers as a cost effective improvement over plain concrete.

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[dik]

Typically in this area as well as Lindsay, Ontario, sidewalks are plain concrete 6" thick. They are scored approx 4'o/c and each third joint is flexcel or tentest. They hold up quite well.

There have been several sidewalks poured in Winnipeg recently that may be half a block long and simply sawcut at 4' or 5'. I have several photos where these have heaved approx 1' approx likely due to thermal expansion.

With a proper base and curing, I'm not sure that polypropylene fibres will do much (they don't hurt).

Dik

 

[Floodwall]

One of the local jurisdictions in my area requires 6x6 - W2.9xW2.9 WWF in a 4" thick sidewalk with control joints at 5' oc. and expansion joints at 20' max intervals for crack control even though it isn't required by ACI.

Due to our poor soils the WWF helps.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

I agree that synthetic fibers are not a "cure-all". For information, here are a couple of balanced articles:

"Synthetic Fibers & Welded Wire Fabric: Comparing Benefits"
ftp://imgs.ebuild.com/woc/C00I048.pdf

"Can You Substitute Synthetic Fibers For Wire Mesh?"

http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-local/view.pdf/a80142cc8774bbb9b8aa2bd4eb90ff15/

http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront/446b8359001cc50427177f0000010577

In all fairness, if the installed cost of either fibers or WWF is spent on extra plain (unreinforced) concrete (to make sidewalks thicker), I believe that all three approaches are more or less equivalent. The trouble is that it is hard to convince clients to make sidewalks thicker than local "tradition" calls for.

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[ZYG]

1st of all....Concrete for sidewalks shall be laied on compacted base course layer (Min 15cm thick and 98% compaction) and solid sub-grade.....
2nd; the minimum thikness of concrete shall be 10cm....
You have to provide expansion joint @3 to 4m max and You have to provide a reinforcement mesh of Phi 6mm@20cm/E.W........
It is not written in books,,,,,,,but from experiance,,,this is the best way to do it.....In my opinion