How Do TMT Bars Help In Lowering Construction Costs?

Posted by TriamTMT on February 24th, 2021

High-quality thermo-mechanically treated (TMT) bars are not exactly cheap. The average cost of TMT bars in India hovers around the Rs. 40K/MT mark (with some varieties being significantly more expensive). Even so, they have emerged as one of the most important components of modern construction projects. In particular, FE 550D TMT bars have been found to deliver the best combination of strength and flexibility. Apart from lending stability, safety and longevity to buildings, carefully chosen TMT bars can significantly reduce the overall construction costs. In what follows, we will take a look at how construction costs can be lowered by using TMT bars:

Lower maintenance requirements

Corrosion-resistance is one of the key - and most sought after - features of TMT bars. This, in addition to optimal bonding strength, gives a significant boost to the overall durability and longevity of the bars. The best TMT bars have the capacity to withstand extreme weather conditions (heat, cold, salinity, seismic conditions, etc.). If you are looking to enhance your ROI from a construction project, look to use good TMT bars. Their robustness stays intact for extended periods of time, while their regular maintenance requirements remain minimal.

Reduced costs of transportation 

TMT bars are generally lightweight and rank high on the flexibility count (in terms of their usability in alternative types of construction jobs). This, in turn, makes the bars easy to transport from one place to another - and overall transportation expenses are reduced. Since transportation of TMT bars is a lot simpler than that of regular steel bars, the manual requirements are lower too. This brings down the staff cost as well.

Lower quantity requirements

Among the several advantages of FE 550D TMT bars, their superior tensile strength is probably the most important. As a result, they are a lot more sturdy, durable and resistant than run-off-the-mill steel bars. Also, thanks to the higher tensile strength of TMT bars, the total amount of steel required on a construction site is considerably lowered. Less steel is needed, less money has to be forked out. In addition, since the quantity is lower, storage also becomes easier. 

Protection against natural disasters and fire accidents

The best TMT bars invariably have powerful fire-resistance and seismic resistance properties. When they are used in a building, its foundation becomes strong - and risks from both fire breakouts as well as earthquakes can be potentially minimised. If TMT bars are not used, other precautionary and safety measures will have to be followed - each of them will involve additional expenses - and even then, they will not be able to deliver the level of reliability that TMT bars bring to the table. 

Minimal loss of core strength of FE 550D TMT bars 

FE 550D TMT bars in particular, and most other good-quality TMT bars in general, stand out in terms of their bendability and weldability. As a result, construction workers find it easy to use such bars for prefabrication tasks (e.g., creating meshes). The bendability and weldability of these TMT bars also ensure that the core strength is not lost when they are used in butt-joints and welding joints. The low carbon content of TMT bars contribute to their corrosion-resistance and greater flexibility too. A good TMT bar does not break/get scratched easily - and users do not have to worry about replacement costs.

More elongation = More savings 

At the time of selecting a TMT brand type, you should always keep an eye out for its elongation capabilities. As a rule of thumb, the higher the elongation of TMT bars, the greater is their lifespan (since higher elongation automatically makes the TMT bars more ductile). TMT bars that last long bring down maintenance, repair and replacement costs - apart from adding to the overall reliability and durability factors. 

The importance of choosing TMT bars of the correct grade 

Randomly going with the first set of TMT bars you come across is never a good idea. It is extremely important to understand the precise requirements of your project - and then look for suitable TMT bars. For instance, if you need a low strength but highly flexible product, look for TMT bars with low gradation. On the other hand, if your project requires high strength, low flexibility TMT bars, check the ones that have high gradation. Correctly chosen TMT bars go a long way in reducing costs and enhancing stability.

Labour costs can be brought down 

We have already highlighted how transportation of TMT bars require a lot less manual involvement. Labour costs can be reduced in yet another way with the help of such bars. The high malleability of TMT bars do away with the need for tasks like post-heat treatment for welding (pre-warming is also not required). This, once again, decreases the level of manual labour required - and boosts the overall operational efficiency. Costs go down as a result.

Savings from sectional weight uniformity 

When looking through the different types of TMT bars, it is always advisable to go with a variety that has uniform sectional weight. Bars with relatively low and fully uniform sectional weights can cut costs by up to 4%. Also, bars with symmetric rib patterns (multiple angular ribs) are easier to handle, and are typically more cost-effective. 

High standards of manufacturing technology

Leading manufacturers of TMT bars, like Triam A+ TMT, make use of the latest technologies for manufacturing TMT bars of the finest quality (e.g., Thermex Technology from HSE, Germany). Going with a reputed brand of TMT bars comes with an additional layer of security and reliability - thanks to the underlying technology. The inner core of the bars should be more malleable than the tough outer surface - which adds to the overall strength. 

While TMT bars are relatively pricey, going for cheaper steel rods is never a good option. Such sub-standard bars are hardly ever reliable, and are likely to get damaged pretty soon. The higher ductility, elongation and malleability of high-quality TMT bars, along with their top-notch weldability, strength, bendability and corrosion/fire/seismic resistance make them long-lasting and help in reducing total construction costs significantly. Not surprisingly, TMT bars have become one of the most important elements of construction projects. In fact, they can easily be referred to as the ‘backbone of construction’.