Some useful construction tips to measure Cutting Length of 4-Legged Stirrups

This construction video provides detailed guidelines on how to estimate cutting length of 4-legged stirrups. Stirrups refer to bent steel bars which are ideal for retaining longitudinal reinforcements (top and bottom that passes through the length of a beam) in exact position. Stirrups are mostly useful for preventing relative displacement concerning the reinforcements throughout casting and the design phase of an RC member.

Stirrups also facilitate to disperse the effects of loading efficiently between such reinforcements which they attach and improve the interactions happened among them. Stirrups are generally connected to the longitudinal reinforcements through binding wires and connect the reinforcement passing through a section for developing a single matrix.

Stirrups are extremely helpful withstanding shear forces which take place at the supports and point of concentrated load.

The dimensions, shapes and number of stirrups are dependent on the dimensions and number of the primary reinforcements and dimensions of the beam section.

If double stirrup is applied to tie a beam or column simultaneously, it is called as four leg stirrups.

Two-legged stirrups are found in normal beams having comparatively short widths whereas a multiple-legged stirrup (four) is necessary for beams having extended web widths.

It is recommendable to use multiple-legged stirrup in allowed situations as they can manage shear cracking and longitudinal splitting cracks in a better way as well as facilitate to retain transmission of shear via aggregate interlock.