Adaptive Stress Field Models: Assessment of Design Models

Abstract

When using strut-and-tie or stress field models for design, different engineers may propose different models for the same situation, which may sometimes lead to quite different amounts of required reinforcement. This can lead to concerns regarding the suitability of the chosen model. This study intends to provide a step forward for the assessment of strut-and-tie models, applying the Adaptive Stress Field Models concept. Several representative discontinuity regions are studied and different design models and corresponding reinforcement layouts are analyzed for each of them. The main purpose is to discuss to what extent the design model can be adjusted, preventing deficient service behavior and/or premature failure. For several cases, the suitable redistributions from the reference models (elastic-based solution) were assessed, providing guidance for the development and application of strut-and-tie models for the design of discontinuity regions.