Since, concrete is relatively weak in tension, reinforcement consisting of steel bars, strands or wires is required to absorb tensile, shearing and sometimes the compressive stresses in a concrete member or structure. Steel reinforcement is also required to tie vertical and horizontal elements, reinforce the edges around openings, minimize shrinkage cracking and control thermal expansion and contraction. All reinforcement should be designed by a suitably qualified engineer. Reinforcing bars are steel sections hot-rolled with ribs or other deformations for better mechanical bonding to concrete. The bar number refers to its diameter in millimeters – for example, a 6 bar is 6 mm in diameter. The welded-wire fabric consists of a grid of steel wires or bars welded together at all points of intersection. The fabric is designated by the size of the grid in mm followed by a number indicating the wire size. ...