Shear Strength Analysis and Prediction For NSC and HSC Beams With or Without Stirrups

2007 Structures Congress: New Horizons and Better Practices
2007 ASCE
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Shear Strength Analysis and Prediction for NSC and HSC

Beams with or without Stirrups
Authors:
Giuliana Somma, University of Udine, Via delle Scienze 208, 33100, Udine, Italy,
giuliana.somma@uniud.it
INTRODUCTION
The shear failure of reinforced concrete (RC) beams is due to the combined action of
shear and flexure. Because of the presence of shear, beam flexural strength may result
greatly reduced with respect to the pure flexure case, and failure may happen in a brittle
way and without premonitory signs. Due to the complexity of the phenomenon, much
research has been addressed to evaluate the resisting mechanisms of only longitudinally
reinforced beams, currently called concrete mechanisms.
The analysis of shear strength of reinforced Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) and High
Strength Concrete (HSC) beams with only longitudinal reinforcement, in which a
constant shear force acts throughout the shear span, has led the author to recently propose
a shear strength formula [Russo et al., 66-74] predicting the experimental behavior in a
more accurate and uniform way than other authors and Codes expressions. The shear
mechanism has found to be governed by a second order differential equation, whose
solution provides the internal lever arm in function of the distance from the support.
The strength provided by any transverse reinforcement, which is supposed to be
constituted by stirrups in almost every study, is hence taken into account by adding the
resisting contribution of the truss mechanism to that due to the concrete mechanisms. In
the transverse reinforcement contribution the stirrup effectiveness is taken into account.
CONCRETE CONTRIBUTION TO SHEAR STRENGTH

Although it has to be noticed that in HSC beams the fracture planes are smoother than in
NSC beams, with consequent lower shear strength contribution of the aggregate interlock
mechanism, the crack patterns are almost analogous, and the failure modes of HSC and
NSC beams are similar: shear-compression failure for beams with prevalent arch action,
and diagonal-tension failure for beams with prevalent beam action.
The recently proposed expression for computing the shear strength of only longitudinally
reinforced concrete beams [Russo et al., 66-74] has found to more accurately and
uniformly predict the experimental behavior than most unknown expressions. Moreover
this reliability has been noticed for both NSC and HSC beams, for a total number of 917
tested specimens.
The shear strength formula for beams with no transverse reinforcement is
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Structures Congress 2007

New Horizons and Better Practices
2007 ASCE
1.20.45 a d
0.4 0.39
0.89 a
0.83
vuc = 1.13 f c
f yl
(1)
+ 0.5
where is the geometric percentage of longitudinal reinforcement, fc is the cylindrical

concrete compressive strength, fyl is the yielding strength of longitudinal reinforcement,
a/d is the shear span to effective beam depth ratio, and is a size effect function given by
the following expression [Bazant and Sun, 259-271]
1 + 5.08 / d a
=
(2)
1 + d / (25d a )
where dais the maximum aggregate size.
TRANSVERSE REINFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTION TO SHEAR STRENGTH

The resisting mechanism provided by transverse reinforcement is generally assumed
independent of concrete resisting contributions. Hence the shear strength of a beam with
transverse reinforcement is obtained by adding the resisting contribution provided by
stirrups to that provided by concrete
vu = vuc + v s
(3)
where vuc is the shear strength provided by concrete, and vs is the shear strength provided
by stirrups.
It was shown [Park and Paulay] that the truss mechanism is related to the beam action by
increasing the dowel action, the capacity of the concrete tooth, and the aggregate
interlock. It follows that the stirrups included in a beam with prevalent beam action can
result very highly stressed.
Consequently the transverse reinforcement contribution to shear strength, vs, takes into
account not only the truss mechanism, but also some interaction between the truss action
and the beam action. Therefore vs must be lower than v fyv when the arch mechanism is
prevalent, and greater than v fyv when the beam mechanism is prevalent (where v and fyv
are the geometric percentage and the yielding strength of the transverse reinforcement
respectively).
It is well known that for beams with a/d lower than the critical value of this ratio, (a/d)c
arch mechanism is prevalent, and for beams with a/d greater beam mechanism is
prevalent. A lot of experimental studies have been conducted to demonstrate that in
correspondence of the (a/d)c value there is the maximum reduction of the beam moment
capacity. This value is statistically posed in a range between 2.5 and 3, and also a little
greater for HSC beams.
To take into account the dependence of the transverse reinforcement shear strength
contribution to the prevalence of the arch or beam actions, vs is expressed as
v s = v f yv
(4)
being a stirrup effectiveness function, that is chosen as:
a
=
3d
in which the average value of (a/d)c is taken equal to 3.
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2007 ASCE
SHEAR STRENGTH FOR NSC AND HSC BEAMS WITH STIRRUPS

With all the considerations done in the previous paragraphs, the here proposed shear
strength expression for NSC and HSC beams is
1.2 0.45 a d
0.4 0.39
0.89 a
0.83
vu = 1.13 f c + 0.5
f yl
(6)

+ v f yv
d
where and are given by (2) and (5) respectively.

This expression evidently leads to that previously proposed for only longitudinally
reinforced concrete beams [(1)] if the stirrup are not present (v fyv = 0).
Reliability of the Proposed Shear Strength Model
The reliability of the proposed model in predicting the shear strength of NSC and HSC
beams with or without stirrups has been compared with the following expressions
provided by Codes [and by authors, with reference to the experimental outcomes from
917 beams with only longitudinal reinforcements and 409 beams with longitudinal and
transverse reinforcements. This collection of 1326 specimens is the most numerous ever
collected for shear, in the literature.
ACI 318M-05
vu = 0.16 f c + 17
Vu d
+ v f yv
Mu
(7)
where the first addendum must be 0.29
f c , and Vu and Mu are the shear force and
bending moment at ultimate state respectively.

Eurocode
v u = Rd k (1 . 2 + 40 ) + 0 . 78 v f yv
(8)
where k = 1.6 d 1 (d in meters), = 1 for a/d 2.5 or = 2.5 d a 5 for a/d < 2.5,
= min ( As (bd ) ; 0.02) , and Rd = 0.25 f ctk 0.05 c , with c = 1.5 , f ctk 0.05 = 0.7 f ctm , and
23
f ctm = 0.3 f c .
Rebeiz
d
(10 3 Ad ) + v f yv
vu = 0.4 + f c
a
where Ad = a/d for a/d < 2.5, and Ad = 2.5 for a/d 2.5.
(9)
Kim and Park

d
3
vuc = 3.5 f c 3 8 0.4 +
a
1 2
where = (1 + 0.008 d ) + 0.18 , = 1 for a/d 3, or = 2 a (3 d ) for a/d < 3.
Copyright ASCE 2007
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2007 ASCE
To check the validity of the introduction of the function in the stirrup shear strength
contribution, the following expression has been taken into account too, and its outcomes
have been compared with the 1326 experimental results.
1.2 0.45 a d
0.4 0.39
0.89 a
0.83
vu = 1.13 f c + 0.5
f yl
(11)

+ v f yv
d
In Figures 1-6 the ratio between the experimental shear strength value and the computed
one by means of the proposed formula [(6)], and each of the five above mentioned
expressions [(7)-(11)] is plotted versus the shear span to effective depth ratio a/d, for the
1326 beams. The horizontal bold lines represent the perfect correspondence between
experimental and computed shear strength values. So, the closer to this line the points
are, the more accurate the shear strength prediction is. The thinner the width of the strip
including the points is, the greater the prediction uniformity.
The AVG and COV values are also reported in Figures 1-6. AVG is the index of the mean
accuracy of the considered formula, and the closer to one its value is, the more accurate
the expression. COV is the index of the uniformity in the prediction, with variation in
beam geometrical and mechanical characteristics or the loading position, and the lower it
is, the better the prediction capability of the experimental results. From Figures 1-6 it is
apparent that the proposed formula for computing shear strength of beams with and
without stirrups is better than the other ones, in terms of accuracy and uniformity of
prediction.
9
Proposed expr.
AVG = 1.01
COV = 0.20
8
7
6
vu,exp/vu,comp
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
a/d
FIGURE 1: EXPERIMENTAL TO COMPUTED (WITH EQUATION 6) SHEAR

STRENGTH RATIO VERSUS a/d FOR 1326 TESTED BEAMS.
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2007 ASCE
ACI 318M-05
AVG = 1.89
COV = 0.65
8
7
vu,exp/vu,comp
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
a/d

9
Eurocode
AVG = 1.69
COV = 0.37
8
7
6
vu,exp/vu,comp
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
a/d

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2007 ASCE
Rebeiz
AVG = 0.90
COV = 0.25
8
7
vu,exp/vu,comp
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
a/d

9
Kim and Park

AVG = 0.98
COV = 0.22
8
7
6
vu,exp/vu,comp
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
a/d

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2007 ASCE
Proposed expr. with =1

AVG = 0.99
COV = 0.22
vu,exp/vu,comp
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
a/d

By observing Figures 1 and 6 it is evident that the proposed introduction of the function
in the transverse reinforcement contribution to shear strength leads to an improvement of
the 10% in the uniformity in the prediction.
CONCLUSIONS
From several experimental and theoretical investigation carried out over the years by the
researchers, some interaction between the truss action and the beam action has been
observed in beams subjected to shear stress.
Consequently the transverse reinforcement contribution to shear strength has been taken
function not only of the truss mechanism (v fyv) but also of the beam or arch action
prevalence (a/d).
The here proposed expression has been found to accurately predict the shear strength of
Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) and High Strength Concrete (HSC) beams with or
without transverse reinforcement. This accuracy and uniformity in the strength evaluation
has been verified by comparing the outcomes of the expression with 1326 experimental
results found in the literature. It has found that this expression exhibits a much more
uniform prediction of experimental results not only than Eurocode and ACI Code, but
also than two expressions provided by two different research groups.
An important conclusion is also that this improvement in the uniformity prediction ability
is prevalently due to the introduction of the function , which takes into account the
interaction between concrete and stirrup resisting mechanisms.
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2007 ASCE
REFERENCES
[1] Russo, G, Somma, G, Mitri, D, "Shear Strength Analysis and Prediction for Reinforced Concrete
Beams without Stirrups", Journal of Structural Engineering ASCE, Vol.131, No.1, January 2005, 6674.
[2] Bazant, Z, B, Sun, H, H, "Size effect in diagonal shear failure: Influence of aggregate size and
stirrups", ACI Material Journal, Vol.84, No.4, 1987, 259-271.
[3] Park, R, Paulay, T, "Reinforced Concrete Structures", John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1975, p.769.
[4] Russo, G, Puleri, G, "Stirrup Effectiveness in RC Beams under Flexure and Shear", ACI Structural
Journal, Vol.94, No.3, 1997, 576-584.
[5] American Concrete Institute (ACI), "Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and
Commentary (ACI 318M-05)", Farmington Hills, MI.
[6] ENV 1992-1-1 Comit Europen de Normalization CEN, "Eurocode 2 - Design of Concrete Structures
- Part 1-1: General Rules and Rules for Buildings Building".
[7] Kim, JK, Park, YD, "Prediction of Shear Strength of Reinforced Concrete Beams without Web
Reinforcement", ACI Material Journal, Vol.93, No.3, 1996, 213-222.
[8] Rebeiz, KS, "Shear Strength Prediction for Concrete Members", Journal of Structural Engineering
ASCE, Vol.125, No.3, 1999, 301-308.
[9] Kani, GNJ, "A Rational Theory for the Function of Web Reinforcement", ACI Journal, Vol.66, No.3,
1969, 185-197.
[10] Russo, G, Somma, G, Angeli, P, "Design shear strength formula for high strength concrete beams",
Materials and Structures, Vol.37, No.274, 2004, 680-688.
[11] Russo, G, Venir, R, Pauletta, M, Somma, G, "Reinforced Concrete Corbels - Shear Strength Model and
Design Formula", ACI Structural Journal, Vol.103, No.1, 2006, 3-10.
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2007 Structures Congress: New Horizons and Better Practices