Identifying user requirements in order to digitally enable the off-site fabrication of steel reinforcement

Abstract

There has been limited study into the user-requirements of steel-fixers in the off-site fabrication of reinforced concrete and steel reinforcement. This work seeks to understand and specify the context in which steel-fixers are working and identify the user-requirements. Steel-fixing video footage was analysed, enabling the production of targeted questions, which were then posed to industry experts at in-person site visits. The user-requirements are categorised into three groups: the users’ safety & comfort, environmental, and task-specific requirements. These requirements are intended to be used in future work to develop a new system and approach to the off-site fabrication of steel reinforcement.