The conventional method of managing reinforcement (rebar) work in RCC construction is to set up a rebar yard at site. Rebar is stored, cut & bent in this yard and locally shifted to the work front for installation. This requires dedicated space in the vicinity of the site. The yard is typically managed by a rebar foreman, bars are cut & bent in a manual/semi-automatic machine, and BBS is prepared manually by an Engineer. While this arrangement was adequate in the past, increasing the need for speed, quality coupled with lack of space at sites has made this option less effective.

Rebar detailing is to prepare reinforcement shop/placing drawings along with Bar Bending Schedules (BBS). The placing drawings help the execution team to identify the location of the reinforcement along with lap positions, whereas the BBS calls out quantity, bending shapes with dimensions. Shop/placing drawings is a very important link that conveys the designer’s intent to the execution team. These drawings are prepared by experienced engineers & technicians implementing all the codal requirements. The drawings are presented in a manner that makes fixing rebar on-site simple and easy. Specialist software is required to prepare the rebar shop drawings.

Rebar detailing practice is widely adopted in developed countries like the USA, CANADA, UK, Middle East region to name a few. The popularity of Rebar detailing in these countries is mainly due to shortage of site workers and critical timelines of projects.   

Rebar detailing is also gaining popularity in developing countries like India. Projects in Metropolitan cities are adopting this service owing to space constraints in setting up of cutting, bending and storage yards at site and shortage of labour.