[jessriedel]

More importantly, I don't think rebar has anything to do with durability (except insofar as being able to survive rare earthquakes). Rebar isn't impressive because it makes buildings last longer than without it, it's impressive because it allows building to be built which couldn't exist period without it.

[kiujhgbnj]

Rebar generally reduces the life of concrete - almost all concrete failure is due to water getting into the rebar, creating rust which expands and cracks the concrete.

A lot of the ruins of Greece were damaged by Victorian engineers securing the stones with iron bars to strengthen them