Concrete reinforcer and method

Abstract

A concrete reinforcing apparatus including a plurality of shear stirrups, each having a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion separated by a bend. Stringers may be rigidly attached to the substantially horizontal portions.

1 . A concrete reinforcing device, comprising: 
 a plurality of shear stirrups, each shear stirrup made of a rigid material and including at least one substantially horizontal portion and at least one substantially vertical portion separated by a bend; and    a stringer rigidly attached to the at least one substantially horizontal portion of the plurality of shear stirrups.    
   
   
       2 . The concrete reinforcing device of  claim 1 , wherein the stringer is rigidly attached to each of the second parts with a connection selected from the group consisting of: a weld; an adhesive joint; an epoxy joint; a cemented joint; and a fastener joint.  
   
   
       3 . The concrete reinforcing device of  claim 1 , further comprising two stringers, each stringer being rigidly attached to a different one of the at lease one substantially horizontal portions of the plurality of shear stirrups.  
   
   
       4 . The concrete reinforcing device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of shear stirrups and the stringer are made from one selected form the group consisting of: 
 rebar;    a substantially flat metal;    a substantially flat material;    a stamped metal; and    a substantially flat metal, the substantially vertical portion being reinforced by a structural bend.    
   
   
       5 . The concrete reinforcing device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one stringer is rigidly attached to the substantially horizontal portion of each shear stirrup at a distance away from the bend, wherein the distance is greater than or equal to a diameter of the shear stirrup.  
   
   
       6 . The concrete reinforcing device of  claim 1 , Wherein the plurality of shear stirrups and the stringer are made from substantially flat metal, and the plurality of shear stirrups and stringer define holes therein arranged to receive one of screws or bolts to rigidly attach the stringer to the plurality of shear stirrups.  
   
   
       7 . The concrete reinforcing device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shear stirrups are placed in a fixture adapted to hold the plurality of shear stirrups in a desired configuration while the stringer is rigidly attached to the at least one substantially horizontal portion of each shear stirrup.  
   
   
       8 . The concrete reinforcing device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shear stirrups and the stringer are positioned such that an additional similarly configured concrete reinforcing device may be stacked thereon in a nesting fashion.  
   
   
       9 . A method of reducing the amount of reinforcing material required in specifying shear stirrup reinforcing units made from a plurality of shear stirrups, comprising: 
 specifying the shear stirrup reinforcing units using a factor of safety determined from considering that each of the shear stirrups are to be rigidly connected to at least one stringer at respective substantially horizontal parts of each of the shear stirrups; and    based on the factor of safety, specifying the characteristics of the shear stirrups.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein specifying the characteristics of the shear stirrups includes specifying a characteristic from the group consisting of: 
 a shear stirrup material thickness;    a shear stirrup spacing;    a number of shear stirrups;    a number of substantially vertical parts in each shear stirrup;    a spacing of the substantially vertical parts in each shear stirrup; and    a number of bends in each shear stirrup.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the factor of safety is an estimate based on a tendency of shear stirrup reinforcing units including shear stirrups that are not rigidly attached to at least one stringer at respective substantially horizontal portions of each of the shear stirrups to move with respect to the other shear stirrups in an assembly.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the specifying includes estimating an increased level of strength for the shear stirrup reinforcing unit including shear stirrups being rigidly connected to at least one stringer at respective substantially horizontal portions as compared to another shear stirrup reinforcing unit including other shear stirrups not being rigidly connected to at least one stringer at respective substantially horizontal portions.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: requiring the stringers be rigidly connected with a rigid joint to the substantially horizontal portions of the shear stirrup unit, the rigid joint being one from the group consisting of: a weld; an adhesive joint; a cemented joint; and a fastener.  
   
   
       14 . A method of fabricating shear stirrup assemblies, comprising: 
 positioning two or more shear stirrups substantially parallel to one another such that a substantially vertical portion of each of the two or more shear stirrups are substantially parallel to one another; and    rigidly attaching a stringer to a substantially horizontal portion of each of the two or more shear stirrups with a rigid joint such that the substantially vertical portions of each shear stirrup remain parallel to one another.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 placing the shear stirrup assembly adjacent a column, and supporting the shear stirrup assembly such that the substantially vertical portions remain substantially vertical.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein rigidly attaching the stringer to the substantially horizontal portions includes welding the stringer to the substantially horizontal portions of the shear stirrups.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising a bend between the substantially horizontal portion and the substantially vertical portion, the shear stirrups having a diameter, the welding arranged to take place a distance from the bend greater than or equal to the diameter.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the positioning includes putting a plurality of the shear stirrups in a jig such that each of the vertical portions are substantially parallel, and the rigidly attaching includes welding the at least one stringer to the respective substantially horizontal portions.  
   
   
       19 . A concrete reinforcing system, comprising: 
 a first group of reinforcing members disposed to reinforce a concrete column; and    a second group of reinforcing members disposed to reinforce a concrete slab, the second group including at least one concrete reinforcing device extending outwardly from the first group of reinforcing members and including a plurality of shear stirrups, each shear stirrup being made of a rigid material and including at least one substantially horizontal portion and at least one substantially vertical portion separated by a bend, and a stringer rigidly attached to the at least one substantially horizontal portion of the plurality of shear stirrups.