In fact, the builder got so angry that there was one
brick remaining...even after it all worked-out with
his calculations on the prints he drew-up, himself;
and now having to pay all costs for losing the
bet...he kicked the leftover brick as hard as he
could.
The area around the oxidized steel would play an
important part in the expanding and contracting
danger. Thus some steel fabricators prefer rusted
(stronger) steel than newly manufactured, and the
shallow steel in the area you described could have
very well caused the problem, but the gases are
formed by the cement and not the steel. I hate
Cement Chemistry; too complex for me. <g>
I'll tell you the rest of the leftover brick story when I have more time.
JB