Potential gains through welded-wire fabric reinforcement

The proper placement of reinforcing steel for concrete construction requires a high degree of craftsmanship and is traditionally done by hand on the job site. Many recommendations have been published by the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) and related institutes to highlight crucial guidelines for the successful use of reinforcing bars in concrete. However, the traditional sequence for placement of steel reinforcement is the cause of many errors, omissions, and unproductive labor and equipment hours. This paper presents the results of a study that evaluates the use of welded-steel mesh (WSM), referred to as welded-wire fabric (WWF) by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), for bridge decks. Several different placement scenarios are discussed together with the potential improvements in productivity. Also addressed are the effects on quality and overall cost when using WWF instead of traditional steel reinforcing bars.