TREATMENT OF SHEAR OF REINFORCED CONCRETE SLENDER BEAMS WITH WEB REINFORCEMENT IN WELL-KNOWN STRUCTURAL INTERNATIONAL CODES

Abstract

Structural standards and codes of practice are reviewed continuously and improvements are implemented as research findings reveal more accurate method of design. Design for shear unlike design for bending and axial forces, which have been perfected over the years, because of its behavior is difficult to predicate accurately. In spite of many decades of experimental research and the use of highly sophisticated analytical tools, it is not yet fully understood. This paper reviews the provisions of the current standards in relation to shear of reinforced concrete beams, highlights their weaknesses and strengths and compares their predictions with 122 test beams failing in shear (from existing tests). It was found that five codes [ACI, BS, NZ, EUR, NOR] lead to some, unsafe strength predictions. In other cases these methods could lead to excessively conservative predictions. To examine the accuracy of the existing methods, statistical analysis [Mean ( ), Standard Deviation (SD), and Coefficient of Variation (COV)] of shear failure strength to predicted design value are used.