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Reinforcement is the steel (usually TMT bars) embedded in concrete to carry tensile and shear forces that plain concrete cannot resist alone.
Structure & concrete · Also: Rebar, Steel reinforcement, Rods
Reinforcement is the steel (usually TMT bars) embedded in concrete to carry tensile and shear forces that plain concrete cannot resist alone.
Plain-language explanations for planning and learning. Local codes, consultant advice and contract documents take precedence over glossary summaries.
Bars are detailed as main reinforcement, distribution steel and stirrups/links. Concrete cover protects steel from corrosion and fire. Laps, hooks and anchorage follow the structural design. On site, chairs and spacers maintain position during concreting. Quantity planning uses BBS lengths or kg-per-sq-ft thumb-rules for early budgets — final steel must match approved drawings.
Example: A simply supported beam may have bottom tensile bars, top bars near supports, and vertical stirrups at designed spacing — each appears as separate BBS entries.
| Unit | Notes |
|---|---|
| mm | Bar diameter and spacing |
| kg | Total steel weight |
| mm cover | Clear cover to reinforcement |
TMT
TMT bars are thermo-mechanically treated reinforcement steel rods with a tough outer layer and ductile core, widely used in RCC buildings.
BBS
A BBS (Bar Bending Schedule) is a table that lists each reinforcement bar’s mark, diameter, shape, cut length and quantity so steel can be cut and bent accurately.
RCC
RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) is concrete strengthened with steel bars so it can resist both compression and tension in beams, slabs, columns and footings.
Formwork
Formwork (shuttering) is the temporary mould that holds wet concrete to the required shape until it gains enough strength to support itself.
Each Varnarc glossary term includes a simple definition, a technical explanation, a worked example, units where relevant, and links to calculators or materials so you can take the next action. Thin one-line dictionary stubs are not published.
Glossary 2026.08.1
Not without the structural engineer. Under-reinforcement risks structural failure; any change must be redesigned and approved.