Ministry of Higher Education & Erbil Technical College

Scientific Research Department of Building

&Construction
Erbil Polytechnic University

Subject/

rebar in building construction

student's lecture
Lara kosrat Adel Hussein.M.A.Karim

Date 11/10/2020

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Contents
introduction.............................................................................................................................................................3
A Little-Known Profession.................................................................................................................................3
What is a Rebar Detailer?..................................................................................................................................3
Mastering the Art of Interpretation..................................................................................................................4
A Shortage of Skilled Labor...............................................................................................................................5
Software & Rebar................................................................................................................................................5
What is the purpose of doing Rebar Detailing?.......................................................................................................6
What are the skill sets required to do Rebar Detailing?...........................................................................................7
Refence................................................................................................................................................................. 10

introduction 

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The question, “what do you do for a living?” is a simple one that any working professional
can answer. however, there are professions within the AEC industry that are not commonly
recognized—a rebar detailer is one of them.

A Little-Known Profession
The question, “what do you do for a living?” is a simple one that any working professional can
answer. Most reply confidently, knowing that their job is one that others have heard of and are
familiar with. As it pertains to the AEC industry, occupations such as architect, engineer, plumber
or electrician are self-explanatory. However, there are many jobs within the AEC industry that exist
alongside of the architects, engineers, and contractors that are not commonly recognized—a rebar
detailer is one of them. Many people mistakenly believe that rebar detailers are engineers. In North
America, rebar detailers are not engineers, nor are they required to be.
 

What is a Rebar Detailer?

Most people have seen aspects of the work that rebar detailers do, but they would never know it. If
you live in a condo building, if you’ve ever parked in a parking garage, if you do your grocery
shopping at a strip mall, and whenever you drive past a construction site, you are seeing the
finished product or work in progress of rebar detailers. The concrete poured at each of these job
sites and locations must contain reinforcing. Rebar is the steel rods used to  They are a vital element
to the structural integrity of the building they inhabit.
 
A rebar detailer is responsible for creating the drawings that tell the field personnel, known as
placers, or rod men, where to place the bar prior to concrete being poured. This is done by
interpreting information in the structural engineers’ drawings. While it may seem simple enough, 
 
The structural engineer is responsible for determining what rebar content is needed in each
component of the structure, starting with the footings and working up. Their calculations reveal the
size, spacing, zoning, layering of bar, and other crucial data. These calculations show what they
need in the concrete for it not to fall. Field personnel are not able to work from these types of

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drawings, so it’s the rebar detailers job to take the drawings, interpret the data, and create new
drawings that are more practical in the field.
  

Mastering the Art of Interpretation

Interpret—that is essentially what rebar detailers do. They must have a good understanding as to
what is on the engineered drawings and what their intentions are.  Then, new drawings are created
that a placer can read and comprehend; drawings that reflect the fabricated steel that has been sent
to a site. Knowing that there are some struggles when trying to interpret, consider the following
analogy:
 
When someone decides to be a language interpreter as an occupation, they first need to study the
language they wish to translate. Once they have a base knowledge of the language, and with the
help of a dictionary, they set out to take on their first job. They might struggle at first, but they get
by. As time passes, they gain a more experience, become more fluent, and doing their job becomes
easier. The need to rely on that dictionary becomes less and less. 
 
Imagine a fluent-speaking Spanish interpreter, with a dictionary, is given a novel to translate to
English. For some reason, let’s say the Spanish dictionary is missing half the words. The
experienced interpreter would have little problem translating the novel. Consider this same scenario
with someone just starting out as a language interpreter, and you have a problem. How can they
completely and confidently translate if they don’t have all the information they require?
 
Rebar detailers see this problem on a constant basis. There is a lack of certain information that they
require to do their job effectively, and although they cannot interpret the whole job, for those with
more experience there is less of a struggle. However, the fact remains there is a gap in
communication, and that poses complications all along the building project’s life cycle.
Many mistakenly believe that rebar detailers are engineers. In North America, rebar detailers
are not engineers, nor are they required to be. There is no formal schooling that one can take
or needs to take to become a detailer. 
A general knowledge of construction, or a diploma in some discipline of construction or
architecture, is enough to suffice. This knowledge or degree tends to be enough to land an interview
with an employer offering a junior detailing position. Once hired, the training begins. The
important thing to note here is that the clear majority of detailers start their profession with no
experience or training in the job at hand.
 
Climbing the Detailing Ladder
As a junior, beginning to learn and understand what rebar is and what its’ importance is in
construction, the learning curve is steep.  Detailers learn about placement, the common methods of

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communication in the field, and how to create the drawings for the field personnel.  They can move
up the ranks after a few years, with some small to medium projects under their belt, and be
considered an intermediate detailer. . At an Intermediate or Senior level, you may even take on the
role as a Rebar Project Manager; which is a person who is not only responsible for their own work,
but also the work of the juniors’ and even some of the intermediates.

 
A Shortage of Skilled Labor
Our industry, like any trade position, is facing a worker shortage. There are jobs available and the
companies have the work, but they don’t have a viable pool of candidates to choose from. As more
jobs become digitized, there is less interest in this type of hands-on work. What’s more is that these
companies would love to hire someone with experience, but all the experienced professionals are
already employed with a company that needs them. These companies are finding it difficult to hire
a junior and get them trained, without taking a hand away from another job, just to get them up and
running. It’s difficult to try and convince a graduating college student to come and work for you
when you are using 2D CAD. The generation entering the workforce now has grown up with
technology. To get them interested in reinforcing detailing, the Steel companies would have to be
willing to accept and adopt a form of 3D rebar software, ideally, one that is intuitive to use and
highly effective.
 

Software & Rebar

Any existing or aspiring software company needs to understand the job and complexities of
detailing rebar, and the workflow the detailers adhere to when creating the placing drawings. We
understand, and we want potential clients to know we will do what is necessary to adapt and
develop the essential tools that a detailer needs to effectively do their job. We truly believe that our
software is the best available option on the market. We strive to be innovators who understand the
needs of our customers, their customers, and the industry at large. We believe that behind every
good detailer should be a great detailing program. Welcome to All plan

What is the purpose of doing Rebar Detailing?

The main objectives of doing 2D Rebar detailing are as follows:

a) To Prepare an error-free Bar bending schedule, when fabricated should fit in the concrete formwork
without any issue. The same Bar Bending Schedule will be used for accounting and invoicing.

b) To prepare a detailed Rebar placing drawing (Erroneously called as Rebar Shop drawings). This
Rebar placing drawing guides an Ironworker in such a way that the Rebar can be placed correctly in the
site without any issues.

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c) To let the structural engineer, verify and approve if the structural design intent is properly converted
into the Rebar Placing drawings and Bar bending schedules.

d) To do a Rebar wastage analytics and reduce potential scrap existing in the Drawing level.

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What are the skill sets required to do Rebar Detailing?
Rebar detailing is a meticulous and involved job that will have a significant impact on the construction.
To do Rebar detailing the following skills are required.

1. To read the structural drawings and understand how an engineer intent to construct the structure with
various structural elements like Footings, Slabs, walls, Beams, staircases etc. For doing Infrastructure
projects a knowledge on Pile caps, piers, segments, Abutment walls, phylon’s etc are needed.

2. To read and understand the notes, Schedules and other information that are relevant for Rebar
detailing of the various elements.

3. To read the construction drawings from other trades like Architectural and MEP to check the
consistency, clash and any other ambiguities that will affect Rebar detailing.

4. To raise a Request for Information (RFI) to the Relevant stakeholder and get replies for the missing
info, ambiguous situations, conflicts etc.

5. To have a fundamental understanding of how various structural elements are reinforced. For
example, we will take a BEAM

 What are the dimensions of the Beams and the supports?

 What will be the General cover to be followed on Top, Bottom and side faces of the Beam?
 Are there any complications in the element like Steps, Size variations between continuous
beams, Depth variations etc.,? The detailer has to check for the existence of such
complications and provide proper detailing.
 What is the various Rebar in a Typical continuous Beam?
Where you can Lap Top and Bottom Bars? Where you cannot Lap? (This is a Basic
knowledge that a detailer must possess. He should be aware of the Stress and compression
zones and at least should know how to draw a Bending moment diagram. These basics will
help in the long run)
 What would be the Lap length to be followed? Is it from the code (ACI defines Class A
class B Tension/compression Laps etc) or is it provided by the structural engineer in the
structural drawing?
 What are the Bar supports and other accessories to be provided? / How to calculate their
quantities?
 Generally, where will the congestion of Rebar occur? (In beams the column- Beam
junction.) How to resolve these congestion issues?
 Will the Element be poured separately or with any other element? In that case is there any
Dowels(Startup Bars in Middle East language) required to be provided?
 Is any Rebar needs to be provided with special treatments like Epoxy coating, End Threads
for couplers etc?

6. To have a strong Rebar detailing knowledge

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  What is the detailing code to be used?
 What are the different standard Bend Shapes defined in the code?
 What is the Pin Diameter recommended by the Code?
 What are the standard Hook lengths for different angles?
 What are the lap lengths to be used?
 How to calculate development lengths?
 What is the Cut length calculation to be followed?
 How to Calculate Bar sizes and quantity from the Areas of Steel provided by the structural
engineer. This skillset is required when you work for U.K projects and in many countries,
this knowledge is required to choose alternate Bar sizes, based on site requirement. Please
note that the structural engineers should approve the alternate Bar sizes.

7. To have a proper understanding of the Rebar Fabrication process (Cutting & Bending)?

 What are the Different Bar sizes available?

 What would be the regular stock lengths that are readily available to fabricate?
 Is Rebar Bent in Shop or Site?
 Do they use CNC machines or not?
 What would be the preferred format for Bar bending schedule?
 If CNC Bar list is required, what is the format required?
 What are the length limitations in shipping L Bars and Arc Bars etc?
 What would the maximum shipping length?
 What will be maximum Truckload allowed to Transport Rebar?

8. To have a proper understanding of the Rebar Placing drawing presentation style to suit the
Contractors Placing crew.

 The Placing drawings are prepared in different ways.

 The detailer should know the expectations of the client and prepare Rebar Placing drawings
in that format.
 It's also better to know the approval process for the Rebar Detailing and Rebar placing
drawings.

9. To do Rebar Detailing using a 2D Rebar detailing software like RGS REBAR or a 3D Rebar
Detailing software like VISKAR BIM

 The Rebar detailer should first know How to manually detail Rebar using Paper and pencil.
The basics must be understood. This should be done before even learning any software.
 Doing Rebar detailing in an Excel sheet or a piece of paper is undoubtfully a wrong
approach. I will explain separately on how this leads to Rebar wastage in the site and how
the Structures Quality is devastated due to lack of professional practices.
 Rebar detailing with plain CAD software will be laborious, error-prone and usually end up
in a big Mess.

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.

Refence
https://www.viskartech.com/global/blog/a-professionals-guide-for-rebar-detailing-2018/

https://blog.allplan.com/en/an-introduction-to-rebar-detailing

https://blog.allplan.com/en/an-introduction-to-rebar-detailing