On 12 Dec 2004 07:35:28 -0800, wrote:

Jay Pique wrote:

Were it a slab of my own, I'd tie each joint - and well.

I agree. Unless of course it were what amounts to a driveway
(light-duty occasional use) with a mat of #8 rebar 2 inches above the
bottom of the slab and a mat of #5 rebar 4 inches above that--did I
mention a 15-inch overall thickness of the slab? As you can see, this
is slightly overengineered. Interstate highway specs on a (literally)
paved Border Patrol truck path.

Sounds like a footer for The Wall that we're going to build.

As far as welding goes, I highly doubt a welded joint is anything
less than multiply stronger than the tie-wired joints. YMMV.

I also agree there. I think the point of the statement was that the
actual weld weakens the reinforcing rod at the joint because the heat
hardens the steel and makes it brittle (?). I'm not sure of the
(twisted) logic behind that statement.

You're right. He's wrong. Dontcha love it!

JP