What is used to firmly hold the bars at the required clearance from forms during placement?

What is used to firmly hold the bars at the required clearance from forms during placement?

• A. Bar support
• B. Bar clamp
• C. Bar chair
• D. Bar spacer

Answer: (A)

Maintaining the proper concrete cover means holding the reinforcing bars at a precise distance from the formwork during placement. This is done with bar supports, which are placed on the forms to suspend the bars at the required height. By providing a stable seat, bar supports keep the bars in the correct position so the concrete can surround them to the specified clearance as it pours and cures. A bar chair is a common type of bar support, but the term bar support focuses on the function of holding the bars away from the forms. Other options serve different purposes: bar clamps grip bars temporarily; bar spacers control spacing between bars, not their distance from the form.

Maintaining the proper concrete cover means holding the reinforcing bars at a precise distance from the formwork during placement. This is done with bar supports, which are placed on the forms to suspend the bars at the required height. By providing a stable seat, bar supports keep the bars in the correct position so the concrete can surround them to the specified clearance as it pours and cures. A bar chair is a common type of bar support, but the term bar support focuses on the function of holding the bars away from the forms. Other options serve different purposes: bar clamps grip bars temporarily; bar spacers control spacing between bars, not their distance from the form.