Former welder/metals fag here.
The picture clearly shows that an oxy acetylene torch was used and not an electric saw.
I call bull shit on the articles intent.
Yep, rebar uses crap metal and is brutal on saw blades. A torch will blow through rebar but the cement wouldn't allow it happen.
Imho, they should use large sized thick walled stainless tube steel with rebar and cement inside.
You would need a plasma torch to cut stainless steel.
Not a lot of those…or a power source…in the middle of a desert.