Guide to Reinforcing Steels

For many specifiers and users, reinforcing steel is a commodity product. The most significant attribute is often the price, rather than any particular performance characteristic. Reinforcing steels in the UK, and in many non-UK locations, are almost invariably ordered to British Standards, or an extremely close variant. Most designers will specify reinforcing steels using a bar or fabric schedule to BS 8666, with little knowledge about the product being ordered, how it is made, inspected, tested, or what characteristics it may have, and how these may influence fabrication, site operations and structural performance.

The CARES Guide to Reinforcing Steels was published in ten parts. 

 Part 1 - The product certification scheme for steel for the reinforcement of concrete (2023 UPDATE)

 Part 2 - Manufacturing processes for reinforcing steels (2023 UPDATE)

 Part 3 - Properties of reinforcing steels (2023 UPDATE)

 Part 4 – Sustainability certification for constructional steels (2023 UPDATE)

 Part 5 - Standards, Codes and Regulations (2024 UPDATE)

 Part 6 – Fabrication of reinforcement (2024 UPDATE)

 Part 5 - Welded reinforcement fabric

 Part 6 - Welding of reinforcing steels

 Part 7 - Stainless reinforcing steels

 Part 8 - Ancillary products for the reinforcement of concrete

 Part 9 - Information Technology in the Reinforcement Supply Chain

Although CARES co-ordinated the presentation of this information in the interests of the industry the authors assume no responsibility for any errors in or misinterpretations of such data and/or information of any loss or damage arising from or related to their use. For the avoidance of doubt these documents should not be referenced in any project contract or specification.