Reinforcing wire element

A reinforcing element for mixing with a subsequently hardening soft material for increasing the tensile strength of the material and having improved mixability with the material comprising:

• a. a wire segment having a length-to-diameter ratio within the range of about 50 to 1 to about 200 to 1,
• b. said wire segment having a substantially straight central portion having a curvature of less than 45.degree. and a length of at least one-half of the total length of said wire segment,
• c. said wire segment further including a pair of terminal portions each comprising a substantially straight terminal part having a length of at least five times the diameter of said wire segment and further comprising a bending connecting said substantially straight terminal part to said substantially straight central portion,
• d. said bending having a radius of curvature less than the diameter of said wire segment and forming an angle of between 90.degree. and 135.degree. between said terminal part and said central portion,
• e. each of said terminal portions being so constructed and arranged that a normal to one of said terminal portions at every point therealong passes outside the other of said terminal portions,
• f. said element being thusly so constructed and arranged as to inhibit hooking-in of said element with another of said elements during mixing with the soft material.