Where is Shear Reinforcement Required? Review of Research Results and Design Procedures

Abstract

This paper presents a review of research on shear strength of reinforced concrete members without stirrups (shear reinforcement). A database of 1849 available experimental results from over the past 60 years is examined and these results are compared to predictions from current North American shear design procedures. Special attention is paid to the behavior of beams ranging from short span deep beams to members controlled by flexure. The findings from the review indicate that using the current ACI shear provisions to decide where shear reinforcement is required can be unconservative for members with larger effective depths, or higher stresses in the longitudinal reinforcement. Improvements to the ACI Code are proposed to mitigate these weaknesses. The AASHTO-LRFD and Canadian CSA sectional and strut-and-tie provisions are found to provide a more uniform level of safety for all member types. The results from this review can allow engineers to identify members in their own structure where a more conservative shear design procedure is appropriate.