In many ways, reinforced concrete is an amazingly versatile building material. With adjustable formwork almost any structural member can be built. A major drawback is that the sizing and positioning of the steel rebar must be accurate. Professional engineering input is expensive and proceeding by guesswork is not a reasonable option. This often results in building materials other than reinforced concrete being chosen.
However, for buildings with simple loads such as an earth-sheltered house, the textbook “Reinforced Concrete Construction For Small Projects” by Ron Dean is an ideal building guide. This book assumes no prior knowledge of engineering principles. All aspects of the design, assembly and forming of common structural members are covered including concrete beams and load-bearing elevated slabs. The math involved is at the high school algebra level with a tutorial assist. Worked-out examples of all important calculations are provided. For safety reasons it is important that the rebar design system be well understood.
The reader is invited to take a peek inside by clicking HERE to examine the Table of Contents and the first 46 pages of the text. This will reveal the author’s writing style and his ability to share information.
