WHAT IS DEVELOPMENT LENGTH?

THE TERM “DEVELOPMENT LENGTH” SIGNIFIES THE BAR LENGTH THAT MUST BE PRESENT
FOR THE STRESS TO BE TRANSFERRED SUCCESSFULLY INTO THE CONCRETE. FOR
CONCRETE AND STEEL, IT IS THE LENGTH OF THE BAR THAT MUST BE IMPLANTED INTO
THE MATERIAL TO GENERATE ENOUGH TENSION TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE BOND
STRENGTH.

DEVELOPMENT LENGTH: IMPORTANCE

- TO ENSURE THE BAR SURFACE IS ADEQUATELY PROTECTED, A DEVELOPMENT
LENGTH IS SPECIFIED AT THE COLUMN FOOTING OR COLUMN BEAM JUNCTION. THE
MOST IMPORTANT REASONS WHY WE SPECIFY THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH ARE AS
FOLLOWS.
- TO SECURE THE BAR’S PLACEMENT IN THE CONCRETE AND PREVENT IT FROM
MOVING.
- UNDER THE MOST EXTREME LOADS, THE BARS DON’T SLIDE AND CAUSE ANY
DAMAGE.
- THE PRESSURES GENERATED IN ONE AREA ARE TRANSFERRED TO NEIGHBOURING
SECTIONS DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL BAR LENGTH SPECIFIED AS THE PRODUCTION
LENGTH AT THE COLUMN.
- THIS LENGTH, WHICH IS SPECIFIED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE BEAM AND THE
COLUMN, IS WHERE THE STRESSES THAT ARE CREATED ARE READILY
TRANSFERRED BY THE STEEL BOND.

DEVELOPMENT LENGTH: WHAT HAPPENS IF WE FAIL TO PROVIDE IT?

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DEVELOPMENT LENGTH MAY BE UNDERSTOOD BY VISUALISING A
SITUATION IN WHICH IT IS NOT PROVIDED. THERE WILL BE NO STRESS TRANSMISSION TO
ADJACENT SECTIONS WITHOUT DEVELOPED BARS, LEADING TO STRUCTURAL FAILURE
FROM JOINT SLIPPAGE BEFORE THE STEEL BARS CAN RELEASE THEIR ULTIMATE LOADS.
IN THESE KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THE BARS WON’T BREAK FIRST; RATHER, THE
BREAKING WILL HAPPEN AT THE JOINTS, AND THE FORTIFICATION WILL DISENGAGE FROM
THE CONCRETE.
WHEN APPLIED TO A BEAM-COLUMN JUNCTION WITH NO SPECIFIED DEVELOPMENT
LENGTH, LOADS IN EXCESS OF THOSE PERMITTED WILL CAUSE THE JOINT’S RESISTING
FORCE TO BE INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE BEAM IN PLACE. CONSEQUENTLY,
THE CONCRETE WILL BREAK.

ACCURATELY PREDICTING DEVELOPMENT LENGTH

THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSION IS USED TO DESCRIBE THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH IN
ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE 26.2.1 OF THE INDIAN STANDARD IS 456: 2000.
WHERE,
Ø = NOMINAL DIAMETER OF THE BAR
ΣS = STRESS IN BARS AT THE PART CONSIDERED DURING LOAD DESIGN
ΤBD = DESIGN BOND STRESS
FOR A GIVEN BAR DIAMETER, THE ABOVE FORMULA MAY BE USED TO GET THE
CORRESPONDING DEVELOPMENT LENGTH IN MILLIMETRES; THIS HOLDS TRUE FOR BOTH
THE LIMIT STATE APPROACH AND THE WORKING STRESS METHOD. THE SOLE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO APPROACHES IS THE SELECTION OF A DESIGN BOND
STRESS VALUE.

OPTIMISING DEVELOPMENT LENGTH FOR STRENGTH

DENSITY OF CONCRETE
THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH IS INFLUENCED BY THE CONCRETE’S DENSITY. EITHER BY
USING CONCRETE WITH A LOW DENSITY OR BY USING CONCRETE WITH A HIGH DENSITY,
THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH WILL BE EXTENDED DEPENDING ON WHICH ONE IS CHOSEN.
STEEL DISTANCE FROM CENTRE TO CENTRE
MORE CONCRETE IS REQUIRED TO MAKE STEEL RESISTANT TO HORIZONTAL SHEARING IF
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE STEEL MEMBERS IS INCREASED. BEAMS TYPICALLY HAVE
STEEL THAT IS SEPARATED AT A DISTANCE OF ONE TO TWO STEEL DIAMETERS APART,
WHILE OTHER KINDS OF MEMBERS HAVE STEEL THAT IS SPACED AT GREATER
DISTANCES, REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT LENGTH REQUIRED.
STRUCTURAL STEEL ENCASED IN CONCRETE
THE CONCRETE COVERING OF STEEL ALSO HAS AN EFFECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT
LENGTH. AN INCREASE IN CONCRETE COVER THICKNESS WILL SHORTEN THE
DEVELOPMENT LENGTH AND VICE VERSA.
COMPRESSIVE RESISTANCE OF CONCRETE
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH AND DEVELOPMENT LENGTH ARE INVERSELY RELATED TO ONE
ANOTHER, MEANING THAT A GREATER MAGNITUDE OF COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH WILL
RESULT IN A SHORTER DEVELOPMENT LENGTH.

DIAMETER OF STEEL
THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH IS AFFECTED BY THE DIAMETER OF THE STEEL. IT HAS COME
TO EVERYONE’S ATTENTION THAT STEEL WITH A SMALLER DIAMETER REQUIRES A
SHORTER AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT LENGTH COMPARED TO STEEL WITH A BIGGER
DIAMETER. THE DIAMETER OF THE STEEL IS EXACTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE
DEVELOPMENT LENGTH.
STEEL COATING
EPOXY-COATED STEELS ARE UTILISED IN PLACE OF ORDINARY STEEL IN SOME
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS SINCE THE STRUCTURE WILL BE EXPOSED TO
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAT MAY CAUSE CORROSION. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE
BINDING STRENGTH BETWEEN THE CONCRETE AND THE STEEL MUST BE INCREASED,
WHICH REQUIRES A LONGER DEVELOPMENT LENGTH.

MAXIMIZING DEVELOPMENT LENGTH IN CONCRETE

BY MAXIMIZING THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH OF REINFORCEMENT IN CONCRETE
STRUCTURES, YOU CAN ENSURE THAT THE STRUCTURE IS STRONG, STABLE AND ABLE
TO RESIST THE STRESSES THAT IT MAY BE SUBJECTED TO OVER ITS LIFETIME.
MENTIONED ARE SOME WAYS TO MAXIMIZE THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH IN CONCRETE.
EMBEDMENT LENGTH INCREASE: THE PORTION OF THE REINFORCING BAR THAT IS
EMBEDDED IN THE CONCRETE- THE EMBEDMENT LENGTH SHOULD BE INCREASED. WITH
THIS, YOU CAN INCREASE THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH AND BETTER THE STEEL AND THE
CONCRETE BOND STRENGTH.
INCREASE THE DIAMETER OF THE REINFORCING BAR: DEVELOPMENT LENGTH CAN BE
INCREASED OWING TO GREATER SURFACE AREA FOR BONDING WITH THE CONCRETE
BECAUSE OF LARGER DIAMETER BARS.
INCREASE THE CONCRETE COVER: CONCRETE COVER THICKNESS OVER THE
REINFORCING BAR ALSO IMPACTS THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH. BY INCREASING THE
CONCRETE COVER, YOU CAN IMPROVE THE BOND STRENGTH AND INCREASE THE
DEVELOPMENT LENGTH.
USE OF DEFORMED BARS: THESE HAVE GREATER SURFACE AREA AND PROVIDE BETTER
BOND STRENGTH WITH CONCRETE THAN SMOOTH BARS. THIS CAN ALSO RESULT IN
INCREASING THE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH.
USE EPOXY-COATED REINFORCING BARS: CORROSION EFFECTS BOND STRENGTH. USE
OF EPOXY-COATED REINFORCING BARS PREVENT CORROSION AS THEY HAVE A
PROTECTIVE COATING AND THUS INCREASE DEVELOPMENT LENGTH.

DEVELOPMENT LENGTH: DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

BEAMS
THE BEAM/COLUMN INTERSECTIONS SERVE AS EXTENSIONS OF THE AVAILABLE
DEVELOPMENT LENGTH. BECAUSE OF THIS, STEEL AND CONCRETE BONDING IS
EXCELLENT AT TRANSMITTING STRESS.
COLUMNS IN FOUNDATIONS
COMPRESSION DEVELOPMENT LENGTH REFERS TO THE VERTICAL DISTANCE THAT A
COLUMN BAR PENETRATES AND REMAINS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE FOOTING CONCRETE,
WHILE TENSION DEVELOPMENT LENGTH REFERS TO THE SAME VERTICAL DISTANCE THAT
A COLUMN BAR PENETRATES AND REMAINS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE FOOTING CONCRETE
BUT FLEXES IN TANDEM WITH THE FOOTING REINFORCEMENT.
TENSION AND COMPRESSION
THE PHRASE “DEVELOPMENT LENGTH IN COMPRESSION” REFERS TO BARS IMPLANTED IN
CONCRETE DURING AXIAL COMPRESSION; FOR FLEXURAL COMPRESSION, THE WORD
“DEVELOPMENT LENGTH IN TENSION” IS USED INSTEAD.

LAP SPLICES
A LAP IS WHEN TWO PIECES OF REINFORCING BAR (REBAR) ARE OVERLAPPED TO CREATE
A CONTINUOUS LINE OF REBAR. THE LENGTH OF THE LAP VARIES DEPEND ON CONCRETE
STRENGTH, THE REBAR GRADE, SIZE, AND SPACING. CRSI’S REINFORCEMENT
ANCHORAGE AND SPLICES INCLUDES TABLES OF REQUIRED LAP SPLICE LENGTHS BASED
ON THESE VARIABLES.
CONTACT SPLICES–IN WHICH THE BARS TOUCH AND ARE WIRED TOGETHER–ARE
PREFERRED BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE SECURE AGAINST DISPLACEMENT DURING
CONSTRUCTION. NON-CONTACT LAP-SPLICED BARS SHOULD NOT BE SPACED TOO FAR
APART.
FOR LAP SPLICE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, THE ACI 318 BUILDING CODE REQUIRES
THE ENGINEER TO INDICATE LOCATIONS AND LENGTHS OF ALL LAP SPLICES ON THE
STRUCTURAL DRAWINGS.

WHERE REINFORCING BARS OF TWO SIZES ARE LAP-SPLICED IN TENSION, INDUSTRY

PRACTICE IS TO USE THE LARGER OF THE TENSION LAP SPLICE LENGTH FOR THE
SMALLER BAR, OR THE TENSION DEVELOPMENT LENGTH FOR THE LARGER BAR. WHEN
BARS OF DIFFERENT SIZES ARE LAP-SPLICED IN COMPRESSION, THE LAP SPLICE LENGTH
MUST BE THE LARGER OF THE COMPRESSION DEVELOPMENT LENGTH OF THE LARGER
BAR OR THE COMPRESSION LAP SPLICE LENGTH OF THE SMALLER BAR.

LAP SPLICES OF #14 AND #18 BARS SHOULD NOT BE USED, EXCEPT IN COMPRESSION
ONLY TO #11 AND SMALLER BARS. LAP SPLICES OF BUNDLED BARS SHOULD BE BASED ON
THE LAP SPLICE LENGTH RECOMMENDED FOR INDIVIDUAL BARS OF THE SAME SIZE, AND
INDIVIDUAL SPLICES WITHIN THE BUNDLE SHOULD NOT OVERLAP EACH OTHER. THE
LENGTH OF LAP SHOULD BE INCREASED 20% FOR A THREE-BAR BUNDLE AND 33% FOR A
FOUR-BAR BUNDLE. BAR LAPS SHOULD BE SECURELY WIRE-TIED TOGETHER TO MAINTAIN
THE ALIGNMENT OF THE BARS AND TO PROVIDE MINIMUM CONCRETE COVER.

WHAT IS CRANK BARS? WHY ITS PROVIDED IN SLABS, BEAMS?

THIS WILL BE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU READ THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MAIN
MENU AND A DISTRIBUTION BAR
TAKE THE SAME EXAMPLE OF A WOODEN SCALE, AS MENTIONED IN THAT POST.

GIVE SUPPORT ON BOTH ENDS OF WOODEN SCALE. NOW USE THE FORCE IN THE TOP OF
THE MIDDLE WOODEN SCALE. YOU CAN OBSERVE THE DEVIATION BELOW THE WOODEN
SCALE. THE WOODEN SCALE BENDS IN THE CENTER AND RISES IN SUPPORT.

1. REINFORCEMENT BARS ARE PROVIDED BELOW TO RESIST THE POSITIVE (SAGGING)

MOMENT CREATED IN THE REINFORCED CONCRETE.
2. TO WITHSTAND NEGATIVE MOMENT (HOGGING), AND SHEAR STRESS, TOP
REINFORCEMENT BARS (CRANK BARS) ARE PROVIDED NEAR THE SUPPORT AS SHOWN
IN THE FIGURE.
3. CRANK BARS ARE PROVIDED SO THAT STEEL IS AVAILABLE IN THE BOTTOM AND TOP
REINFORCEMENTS. SINCE STEEL IS REQUIRED ONLY WHERE THE POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE MOMENTS ARE GENERATED,
THE CRANK RODS ARE PROVIDED SO THAT THE SAME STEEL BAR CAN BE USED FOR
BOTH THE POSITIVE MOMENT (CENTER OF THE SLAB) AND THE NEGATIVE MOMENT
(END SUPPORT) .

CRANK RODS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE FOLLOWING CAUSES.

1. SAVE ON COST
2. FOR THE ECONOMIC USE OF STEEL
3. AVOID THE RISK OF BRITTLE FAILURE
4. RESIST SAGGING AND HOGGING WITH SINGLE STEEL REINFORCEMENT
5. TO WITHSTAND THE SHEAR STRESS CREATED IN THE END SUPPORT

SPECIFICATION OF CRANK BARS

1. ALTERNATE BARS WILL BE CRANKED.

2. THE SLOPE OF 1:10 RATIO USED IN CRANK BARS.
3. CRANK BARS OF AT LEAST 300 MM LENGTH SHALL BE PROVIDED.
4. CRANK BARS ARE PROVIDED AT DIFFERENT ANGLES SUCH AS 45° OR 30° AS
DEPENDING ON THE BEAM DEPTH.
WHAT IS BAR BENDING?

BAR BENDING IS THE SKILLED PROCESS OF SHAPING STEEL REINFORCEMENT BARS TO

SPECIFIC ANGLES AND FORMS, ESSENTIAL FOR REINFORCING CONCRETE IN
CONSTRUCTION. THIS METICULOUS TASK ENSURES STRUCTURES CAN WITHSTAND
IMMENSE PRESSURES, SAFEGUARDING THEIR INTEGRITY. INTRIGUED BY HOW THESE
METAL FRAMEWORKS BECOME THE BACKBONE OF TOWERING EDIFICES? DISCOVER THE
ART AND SCIENCE BEHIND BAR BENDING IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE. WHAT WILL
YOU UNCOVER?
BAR BENDING IS THE MANUFACTURE AND BENDING OF THE STEEL REINFORCING BARS
AND BEAMS, ALSO KNOWN AS REBAR, USED AS REINFORCEMENT IN CONCRETE
CONSTRUCTION. BAR BENDING HAS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SCIENTIFIC
MEASUREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE BAR BENDING
SCHEDULE. THIS GIVES THE MANUFACTURERS THE PROPER BENDS AND TENSILE
STRENGTHS OF THE STEEL REQUIRED TO MAKE CERTAIN SHAPES OR OTHER CONCRETE
CONSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED. THIS INDUSTRY IS ONE THAT IS BUSY WHEN
TIMES ARE GOOD AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF LARGE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
USING REINFORCED CONCRETE IS BOOMING.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES USED IN BAR BENDING AND A
NUMBER OF STRICT RULES THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED. A BENDING SCHEDULE, IN
PARTICULAR, IS ONE SET OF RULES THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED WHENEVER THE TASK IS
PERFORMED. THE BENDING SCHEDULE IS A LIST OF SPECIFICATIONS AND
REINFORCEMENT INFORMATION THAT MANUFACTURERS MUST FOLLOW AS THEY ARE
CONSTRUCTING THE VARIOUS PIECES THE BUILDER HAS REQUESTED FROM THEM IN
ORDER TO MEET BUILDING CODES. EACH COUNTRY CAN SET ITS OWN BENDING
SCHEDULES OR SPECIFICATIONS DEPENDING ON THE QUALITY OF MATERIALS AVAILABLE
IN THAT PARTICULAR COUNTRY. FOLLOWING THE BENDING SCHEDULE ENSURES THAT
THE PROPER MATERIALS ARE USED TO AVOID BRIDGE COLLAPSES, CONSTRUCTION
FAILURES, AND OTHER ISSUES.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TOOLS USED, ALSO. THESE INCLUDE HYDRAULIC
BENDERS AND MANUAL BENDERS THAT ALLOW INDIVIDUAL WORKERS ON THE JOB TO
BEND SOMETHING TO SPECIFICATION AS NEEDED. THERE ARE ALSO COMPLEX
INDUSTRIAL BENDING AND CUTTING MACHINES THAT MANUFACTURE CUSTOM PIECES
UNDER STRICT OBSERVATION AND ADHERENCE TO DETAIL

THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF REINFORCED CONCRETE DICTATE WHERE THE BENT

BARS NEED TO BE POSITIONED AND HOW MANY BARS NEED TO BE POSITIONED THERE.
THESE SPECIFICATIONS ARE WRITTEN BASED ON WHAT IS NEEDED TO PERFORM A
CERTAIN TASK, HOLD A CERTAIN LOAD BASED ON WHERE THE CONCRETE IS IN THE
STRUCTURE, AND HOLD UP TO A CERTAIN PATTERN OF USE. FOR EXAMPLE, IN BRIDGE
BUILDING, ESTIMATED VEHICLE TRAFFIC AND LONGEVITY OF THE CONCRETE ARE
CONSIDERED TO BE KEY WHEN DETERMINING WHAT REINFORCEMENT IS NECESSARY.

BAR BENDING AND THE BENDING SCHEDULE ARE PART OF A HUGE INDUSTRY. IT
PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT MEASURE OF SAFETY FOR CONSTRUCTION. THE INDUSTRIAL
ENGINEERS AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS WORKING TO PERFECT BENDING SCHEDULES
TO MAKE REINFORCEMENTS EVEN STRONGER ARE ONE OF THE ENGINES THAT KEEP
SOCIETIES ALL AROUND THE WORLD MOVING FORWARD WITH CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS.
OTHER TOPICS:
BAR BENDING AND FABRICATION: TECHNIQUES AND EQUIPMENT USED FOR BENDING AND
SHAPING REINFORCEMENT BARS ACCORDING TO DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.
BAR MARKINGS AND IDENTIFICATION: STANDARDS FOR IDENTIFYING AND MARKING
REINFORCEMENT BARS TO ENSURE PROPER PLACEMENT AND TRACKING DURING
CONSTRUCTION.
BAR SUPPORTS AND CHAIRS: DEVICES USED TO SUPPORT AND POSITION
REINFORCEMENT BARS AT THE CORRECT ELEVATION AND SPACING WITHIN CONCRETE
FORMS.
BAR COATING AND CORROSION PROTECTION: METHODS FOR PROTECTING
REINFORCEMENT BARS FROM CORROSION, SUCH AS EPOXY COATING, GALVANIZATION,
OR CONCRETE COVER REQUIREMENTS.
SOURCE:
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