Concrete slabs that are used for residential purposes, such as driveway slabs and pool deck slabs, are only four inches tall and are not reinforced. A reinforced slab is one that has rebar in it. Concrete has poor tensile strength, meaning that it breaks easily under pressure. Rebar in concrete increases the tensile load that the slab can handle since the rebar itself absorbs most of the pressure. If your concrete slab is settling, you might wonder how much rebar could help. Rebar in concrete would not help concrete with settling. This is because slab settling has nothing to do with the strength of the concrete itself and everything to do with the soil underneath. When the soil erodes, the rebar won’t stop the concrete from sinking into the gap. What the rebar can help with is preventing the slab from cracking after settling since the tensile strength has been increased. Unfortunately, most residential slabs don’t have rebar, so when faced with a settling slab, you need to be careful not to break it until it gets repaired. If you have plans for a patio or pool deck on your Youngstwon property and you want to add rebar, you should know that it’s not very cost-effective. It won’t stop settling from occurring and you’ll be spending more money for reinforcement you won’t really need. In order for a concrete slab to break after settling, a large amount of weight needs to be placed on it. Driveway slabs are the ones most likely to break after settling because they need to support the weight of the cars. For any new slabs you want to place around your home, just be vigilant and at the first sign of settling, contact your local experts.