Patent ID: 8752347

Claim:
A method of providing reinforcement for a concrete slab by a support element for the slab, comprising: providing a first, substantially planar, flexural reinforcement layer formed by longitudinally and laterally extending reinforcing bars adjacent to the support element; providing a second, substantially planar, flexural reinforcement layer formed by longitudinally and laterally extending reinforcing bars facing away from the support element; after providing the first and second flexural reinforcement layers adjacent to and facing away from the support element, respectively, inserting, one or more reinforcement elements, each reinforcement element comprising a longitudinally stable, flexible length element, between the first and second flexural reinforcement layers, the inserting of one or more reinforcement elements between the first and second flexural reinforcement layers comprising, for at least one reinforcement element of the one or more reinforcement elements extending a first end area of the reinforcement element along the first flexural reinforcement layer, bending the reinforcement element around a reinforcing bar in the first flexural reinforcement layer so that a first area of the reinforcement element extends toward the second flexural reinforcement layer and the first area defines an acute angle with the first flexural reinforcement layer, the acute angle being any of a non-zero range of acute angles, and bending the reinforcement element, around a reinforcing bar in the second flexural reinforcement layer so that a second area of the reinforcement element extends along a surface of the second flexural reinforcement layer in an area of and facing away from the support element and so that the second area defines an angle with the first area, and bending the reinforcement element around another reinforcing bar in the second flexural reinforcement area so that a further portion of the reinforcement element extends toward the first flexural reinforcement layer.