New Zealand Standards for reinforcing meshes require it to be tested in specified batch lots before it can be claimed to comply with those Standards. Hence Hurricane maintains two laboratories in New Zealand specifically to test manufactured reinforcing meshes for compliance and to provide test certification of those results.

Hurricane Wire Products is in the unique position of being able to offer proof of compliance with all reinforcing meshes supplied. The following tests form the basis of the information required to provide the designer with confidence in the performance of the mesh at work.

Weld Shear

Weld Shear is a critical test for reinforcing meshes as the welded crosswire is often an integral part in the mechanics of lappage and provides the major proportion of the anchorage in concrete. Both NZS 3422 and AS/NZS 4671 requirements must be met to satisfy Hurricanes internal controls.

Deformation Test

The surface geometry of the reinforcing mesh plays a significant role in increasing the bond with the concrete. The relationship of the ribbed projections to the nominal diameter is critical and material tested must meet the requirements of AS/NZS 4671.

Mass Calculation

With the proliferation of deformed meshes the measurement of wire diameters became impractical; hence the measurement of mass now provides the evidence for design confidence. AS/NZS 4671 provides cross-sectional areal for nominal diameters and tolerances of 4.5% plus or minus on mass per metre results.

Tensile Test

The hard drawn nature of reinforcing wire produces high tensile strengths with low ductility. This prevents the observation of a yield phenomenon and hence the 0.2% proof stress is determined by test as detailed in both NZS 3422 and AS/NZS 4671. The minimum requirement remains at 485MPa.

Set Down

Set Down of the welded wires is not a test required by any Standards Authority. Rather it is an empirical measure from the experience gained from 60 years of manufacture by New Zealand's first mesh producer and is an effective indicator of the quality of the welding process.