Glossary: Carbon Steel
**Carbon Steel** is a steel alloy where carbon is the principal interstitial alloying element, containing up to 2.1% carbon by weight, representing the primary raw material used to manufacture deformed reinforcing bars (rebar) for concrete slabs and footings.
Structural Role in Reinforced Concrete
Concrete is exceptionally strong in compression but has poor tensile strength (roughly 10% of its compressive strength). Deformed carbon steel rebar is cast inside concrete elements to absorb tensile forces, preventing cracking and cataclysmic structural failures.
- Carbon Steel Grades: Low-carbon steel (under 0.3% carbon) provides high ductility and bendability, allowing rebar to be bent into structural hooks without micro-fracturing.
- Deformed Ribs: Carbon steel rebar is rolled with deformed ribs that lock mechanically into concrete, preventing bar slipping under extreme tensile loads.