Shear Failure Mechanism Research Articles

Microstructure and mechanical properties of high niobium β-γ TiAl and IN718 alloy joints diffusion bonded by spark plasma sintering

High niobium β-γ TiAl alloy(HNBG) was diffusion bonded with Ni-based superalloy (IN718) from 800 to 900 °C for 20 min under the pressure of 10 MPa by spark plasma sintering. The joint phase composition, growth kinetics and shear mechanical properties were investigated detailedly. The phase sequence was HNBG//β/B2, τ3-NiAl3Ti2//τ3-NiAl3Ti2//τ4-Ni2AlTi, σ-FeCr//Cr/Fe/Nb rich η-Ni3Ti, α-Cr, Cr rich γ-Ni/γ′-Ni3(Al, Ti)//IN718 in the joint. The growth activation energies of diffusion zones on the IN718 side were lower than that on the HNBG side. The molecular dynamics result showed that the dislocation density increased with bonding temperature on the IN718 side. The nano-indentation test results showed that the phases in the diffusion zones II and IV had relatively high hardness. The ultimate shear strength of 257 MPa was achieved at 850 °C. Fracture mainly occurred along the interface between diffusion zones III and IV with bonding temperature lower than 900 °C, while mainly occurred in the diffusion zone II at 900 °C. The shear failure mechanism of the joint was brittleness fracture along the phase interface and brittleness transcrystalline fracture. Finally, the formation mechanism of HNBG/IN718 joint was analysed.

Meso-scale analysis of shear performance and size effect of CFRP sheets strengthened RC beams

In order to reflect and reveal the shear failure process and mechanism of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) sheets strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beam, a mechanical analysis model is established by using a 3D meso-scale simulation method. The model considers the heterogeneity of concrete materials, the interaction behaviors between reinforcements and concrete, and the complex interaction behaviors between CFRP sheets and concrete, simultaneously. Different types of meso-scale models of RC beam strengthened with CFRP sheets are designed to explore the influences of stirrup ratio and CFRP fiber ratio on the nominal shear strength and size effect behaviors. Test results indicate that: 1) The action mechanisms of stirrups and CFRP sheets are similar; 2) The nominal shear strength of CFRP sheets strengthened RC beams increases with the increase of stirrup ratio and CFRP fiber ratio, while the degree of the increasing range decreases; 3) The nominal shear strength of RC beams strengthened with CFRP sheets decreases with the increase of section size, nevertheless increasing the stirrup ratio and the CFRP fiber ratio will weaken the size effect; 4) Based on the numerical test results, a novel size effect law simultaneously considering the stirrup ratio, the CFRP fiber ratio and the mutual effects between them is proposed.

An investigation of shear failure in welded channel and angle brace members

Shear yielding (SY) and shear rupture (SR) are base metal failure modes in welded connections of brace members to gusset plates. Although gusset plated connections have been extensively investigated in the past nonetheless, the shear failure limit states of welded brace members have not received significant attention. This paper aims to shed some light on the shear failure mechanism and strength of welded brace members consisting of single and double channels and angles. For this purpose, a nonlinear finite element (FE) model with ductile damage simulation is developed and validated against the authors’ experiments and other available test results. Then an extensive parametric study using 432 models is performed. The yield and ultimate failure loads of the members have been determined. The results show that the code-specified approach to predict the shear strength of members is very conservative and does not consider the existing tensile strength contribution of the members. In addition, the commonly assumed failure patterns are inaccurate. FE findings show that the SY limit state always occurs prior to SR with about 50% less strength. Moreover, it is found that the yielding mechanism in the SY limit state is limited to the connection region. The shear failure behavior under compression loading and the effects of connection geometry have also been examined. Based on extensive FE analyses, it is recommended to ignore the SY limit check in designing brace members. Moreover, a modification is proposed to the conventional SR formula using a block shear (BS) framework that includes tensile areas to predict the member’s strength more accurately. Application of the proposed recommendations in the seismic design of brace-to-gusset connections results in a more economical connection.

Experimental study and theoretic analysis of shear failure mechanism for short precast bridge columns with grouted splice sleeve (GSS) connectors under direct shear load

Precast bridge structures have been increasingly applied in recent civil engineering applications, which shortens construction time, lowers cost, improves structure quality, decreases traffic interruption, and reduces environment pollution. However, studies regarding to the shear behavior of short precast columns are limited. In this study, five short precast bridge columns, with span-to-depth ratio of 0.43, are tested under direct shear load. This is to understand shear failure mechanism of precast bridge columns with different design details. Two types of shear failure are found due to different embedment location of grouted splice sleeve (GSS) connectors. Different design details (e.g. steel grade of rebar, bonding material of joint interface, and existence of shear keys) also have certain impact on the shear strength of precast columns. Based on the test results, a new theoretic method is proposed to estimate shear strength of tested precast column specimens. The proposed method incorporates possible influencing factors of shear strength along with different failure stages and types. The parameters and formulas are calibrated and adjusted accordingly. It is found that, for short precast columns with GSS connectors, the theoretic solutions are within 5% in difference compared with test results, which shows better accuracy than other methods. This indicates that the proposed method is effective for the estimation of shear strength in this case.

Significant Shear Failure Difference among Additively Manufactured Polymers Using Different Techniques.

Because additively manufactured materials are increasingly being used in load-bearing structures, strength research has become critical. Surprisingly, numerous studies have reported the tensile strength measurements, but only a few studies have presented meaningful results for the shear strength measurements of additively manufactured polymers. Hence, this paper proposes a combined experimental and numerical investigation of a new interlayer shear strength measurement approach, and it targeted the applications of the same polyamide (PA12) specimens made with fused deposition modeling (FDM) and selective laser sintering (SLS). A necking-shaped shear specimen was developed to measure the pure shear strengths with the aid of a three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis. The results showed that the specimens made with FDM and SLS exhibited totally different shear failure behaviors. The ultimate shear strength of the FDM-PA specimens had more than a 32% increase over that of the SLS-PA specimens. An interface mechanics assumption was employed to explore the different shear failure mechanisms with the support of a fractography analysis.

Mechanical and Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Coal-like Rock Specimens under Static Direct Shear and Dynamic Normal Load.

In underground engineering, shear failure is a common failure type in coal-rock mass under medium and low strain-rate disturbance loads. Analyzing the shear failure mechanical properties of coal-rock mass under dynamic normal load is significant. In order to reveal the influence of disturbance load on the shear mechanical properties of coal rock, a dynamic and static load coupling electro-hydraulic servo testing machine was used to conduct the shear tests of coal-like rock materials under dynamic and constant normal load. The amplitude of dynamic load is 10 kN and the frequency is 5 Hz. The damage process of the specimens was detected by the acoustic emission (AE) detection system. The results imply that the shear failure process of coal-like rock materials under constant normal load can be divided into four stages. The normal disturbance decreased the shear strength of the specimens and increased the shear modulus of the specimens. With the increase in normal load, the influence of disturbance on the shear strength of the specimen decreased. By analyzing the AE parameters, it was found that the dynamic load made the internal damage of the specimen more severe during the shear failure process. The damage variable was calculated by AE cumulative energy, and the damage evolution was divided into three stages. The shear failure mechanism of the specimen was judged by RA (rise time/amplitude) and AF (average frequency). It was found that from the elastic deformation stage to the unstable development fracture stage, the proportion of shear fracture increased. When the dynamic normal load was 10 kN and 30 kN, the fracture was mainly shear fracture; When the dynamic normal load was 50 kN, the fracture was mainly tensile or mixed fracture. The dynamic normal load affects the shear strength and failure mechanism. Therefore, the influence of disturbance load on coal-rock mass strength cannot be ignored in underground engineering.

Study on Shear Mechanical Properties and Microscopic Failure Mechanism of Dentate Joints Based on DEM and Laboratory Tests

The stability control of the surrounding rock is greatly influenced by the rock joint’s shear mechanical characteristics and deformation failure mechanism. A numerical model of the dentate joints was created using a particle flow discrete element method (DEM). To study the shear mechanical behavior and damage evolution characteristics of the joints, a numerical simulation of the joints shear test under the same normal stress was conducted. Additionally, the joints’ shear failure mechanism and failure mode were investigated from a microscopic perspective in conjunction with laboratory tests. The results show that the shear strength steadily increases as the roughness of the rock joints increases and that it rapidly decreases after reaching its peak shear strength, indicating an obvious brittle failure. Varied rock joints exhibit significantly different micro-crack evolution, with rougher rock joints (r = 0.30, r = 0.37) exhibiting greater micro-crack production and crack extension into the model’s interior. Rock joint specimens with lower roughness (r = 0.17) had less concentration and fewer areas of contact force concentration. The shear failure mode of the rock joints gradually shifts from abrasion failure mode to snip failure mode as the roughness rises, which is largely compatible with the failure characteristics shown in the laboratory testing. The pattern of micro-crack development within the model specimen and the failure characteristics of the laboratory tests are in good agreement with the distribution characteristics of contact force on the rock joints.

Meso/macroscale study on the shear failure of CFRP laminates considering fibre rotation

The shear failure mechanisms of ±45° braided and unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates are investigated. Off-axis tensile tests were carried out to determine the performance and failure modes of laminates with different numbers of layers. A mesoscale unit cell finite element model was established, and the simulation was validated. The results show that braided laminates and unidirectional laminates have different failure cracks. With the increase in the number of layers, the failure mode of laminates changes. For laminates with 8 or more layers, the necking effect appears at the fracture, and there is a fibre rotation strengthening stage in the stress–strain curve. The stress–strain response functions of laminates in the fibre rotation strengthening stage fitted according to test data can effectively reflect the properties of ±45° braided and unidirectional CFRP laminates.

High-velocity impact behaviour of curved GFRP composites for rail vehicles: Experimental and numerical study

This study aims to explore the projectile impact behaviour of curved glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP) composites for rail vehicles through experimental and numerical methods. Quasi-static material tests were firstly carried out to obtain the tensile, compression, shear and bending properties. Then, high-velocity impact tests under different velocities were conducted for curved GFRP plates, which were cut from hood covers of a rail vehicle. The residual velocity of the projectile, the failure modes and the energy absorption of the composite targets were analysed. The classical Lambert-Jonas equation was used to predict the critical perforation velocity, which was also verified by the following finite element (FE) simulation in LS-DYNA. Based on the validated FE model, the effects of the impact velocity (65.14–152.22 m/s), target thickness (2 mm–8 mm) and impactor shape (flat, blunt, hemisphere and sphere) on the high-velocity impact performance of the target were studied. The results showed that the predicted critical perforation velocity of the curved GFRP plate with thickness of 6 mm was about 101.98 m/s in this study, and only local damages were observed near the trajectory. Increasing the thickness of the GFRP plate can improve its anti-penetration capability, however, the 4-mm plate possesses the highest specific energy absorption among the thickness of 2 mm–8 mm. Compared to the sharp impactors, the flat impactor resulted in the highest peak force of 260.39 kN and the maximum specific energy absorption of 502.65 J in the curved GFRP plates with thickness of 6 mm, due to the shear failure mechanism and the formation of embolism.

Numerical Analysis of the Installation Process of Screw Piles Based on the FEM-SPH Coupling Method

The installation of screw piles can cause damage to the soil, which is a dynamic and large deformation problem. In this paper, a FEM-SPH numerical model for the analysis of this large deformation problem was developed in LS-DYNA to simulate the installation process of screw piles. In addition, field installation tests of screw piles were carried out. By comparing the FEM-SPH simulation results with the experimental results and traditional FEM simulation results, it was found that the FEM-SPH coupling method has higher efficiency and accuracy in dealing with the large deformation problems caused by the installation of screw piles. Then, numerical simulations of screw piles with various parameters were conducted to analyze the differences in the installation process. The results show that the spiral pitch and pile diameter have a significant effect on the installation torque, soil stress and soil pressure during the installation process. During the installation process, the interaction between the screw pile and the soil is transferable. The installation of the screw pile will lead to the movement of soil particles in the radial and axial directions, resulting in heave damage to the shallow soil and cylindrical shear damage to the middle and deep soil. The influence range on the soil by the heave failure mechanism (HFM) and the cylindrical shear failure mechanism (CSFM) caused by the installation of screw piles is affected by pile parameters. The change in pile diameter will act on both HFM and CSFM, whereas the variation in spiral pitch will only have an influence on CSFM.

Shear mechanism and design of small-scale tubular flange corrugated web girders

This paper explores numerically the shear behaviour and web strength of a new type of corrugated web girders (CWGs) consisting of an upper tubular flange, a corrugated web and a lower flat plate flange. The current finite element (FE) models, simulate by ABAQUS software, are validated using the results of three new small-scale experimentally tested girders that have been recently published by the authors. Three main points are studied in this paper, namely the propagation of the plastic shear hinges (PSHs), the effect of the corrugation wavelength and the development of a new elastic design model for the girders. First, the girders are simulated to unveil their shear failure mechanism, focusing on the propagation of the plastic shear hinges (PSHs) that characterise the shear failure of conventional flat-webbed girders. Through comparisons between the tubular flange CWG and the corresponding CWG with flat plate flanges (called hereafter as the conventional CWG), it is found that PSHs occur in the lower flange of former girder at the ultimate load whatever the type of the shear buckling is, while the later does not show PSHs for cases failing by local or interactive buckling. The effect of the wavelength of the corrugation of the tubular flange CWG is secondly analysed and the results show that as the corrugation wavelength decreases, the shear capacity increases with the local shear buckling or interactive shear buckling, but this rule is not suitable for the global shear buckling mode. Finally the shear ratio of the tube to that of the entire cross-section is derived and the shear strength equation of the tubular flange CWG is provided and verified through comparisons with test results.

Shear strength of reinforced concrete flexural members without web reinforcement in compliance with mechanical analysis

Reinforced concrete (RC) beams are important components and critical bearing members in concrete structures. Owing to the complexity of shear behavior for RC beams, most current design approaches to predict shear capacity are highly empirical, which cannot physically explain the shear failure mechanism and, consequently, should only be used within the bounds of the testing regimes from which they were derived. To accommodate this issue, a mechanics-based shear model, which can explain the physical process of shear failure mechanism with a clear physical meaning, was established to quantify the shear capacity of RC beams without stirrups with any type of longitudinal reinforcement and concrete. In this study, the force on each part of the critical failure diagonal crack plane of the RC beams without web reinforcement was analyzed, and the variation of sliding strength with any given inclination angle of diagonal crack was derived. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the critical diagonal crack along which failure occurs with the shear-span ratio was determined by the correlation analysis. The model was validated using 9 test specimens with steel longitudinal reinforcement performed in this study, with a further 452 published shear tests of FRP-reinforced beams without web reinforcement. In addition, the selected design codes and available models were used to calculate the shear strength of test beams. The comparison result shows that a reduction to different degrees in both the mean and scatter of the ratio of the experimental-versus-predicted shear capacity result for the proposed mechanics-based model. Meanwhile, the proposed model can accurately reflect the influence of the main shear parameters, and the prediction accuracy shows no obvious correlation with the wide range variation of these shear parameters.

Ductile Failure Under Combined Tension and Shear: Simulation Using A Gurson-Type Porous Plasticity Model

A modification of the Gurson–Tvergaard’s yield function based on the micromechanics analysis of the plastic deformation of the porous materials containing spherical empty voids arranged in cubic arrays was proposed by Sean McElwain et al. [2006a, Yield criterion for porous materials subjected to complex stress states, Acta Materialia, 54, 1995–2002; 2006b, Yield functions for porous materials with cubic symmetry using different definitions of yield, Advanced Engineering Materials, 8, 870–876]. The derived yield function possesses in particular the distinctiveness to explicitly depend upon the third stress invariant. On another note, a phenomenological modification of the well-known Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) isotropic hardening model that incorporates damage accumulation under shearing was proposed by Nahshon and Hutchinson, [2008, Modification of the Gurson model for shear failure, European Journal of Mechanics A/Solids, 27, 1–17]. This model incorporates only one extra parameter to account for damage under shear-dominated loadings. In this work, the quasi-static ductile damage and failure behavior of a butterfly specimen is numerically studied using a further extension of this model based on both of the above modifications. To this end, a stress integration algorithm based on the general backwards-Euler return algorithm has been implemented into a finite element code. The simulations show that the proposed extended damage evolution model can capture both the tension and shear failure mechanisms. As long as the softening initiation of the considered specimen is not reached, the computational fracture results highlight the similarities and almost have perfect agreement with those provided by the use of the GTN model. This observation holds for tension-dominated deformation and shear-dominated deformation as well. However, for the later loading, discrepancy shows up at the onset of softening and especially as soon as the failure of material is triggered.

Effect of Shear and Pure Bending Spans on the Behaviour of Steel Beams with Corrugated Webs.

The shear span-to-effective depth ratio is known to modulate the shear behaviour of steel beams with corrugated webs (SBCWs). However, present design standards for SBCWs do not adequately address this issue. The impact of shear span-to-effective depth ratio and pure bending spans on the failure mechanism of SBCWs was investigated in this study. Under four-point bending, three beams with shear-span-to-effective-depth-ratios ranging from 1.65 to 2.5 were examined to investigate the relationship between shear and bending spans and failure mechanisms. ANSYS software was used to create finite element models for the tested SBCWs using the finite element technique. In addition, the experimental findings are compared to two codes, specifically DASt-Rishtlinie015 and EN 1993-1-5. Moreover, an analytical section comprised of the creation of a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) was implemented. Finally, a parametric study using the verified FE model was conducted to assess the impact of shear and pure bending spans on the overall behaviour of SBCWs. As a result, the shear span and horizontal fold length of CWSBs are key components for determining the strength and failure modes of beams. Furthermore, the load capabilities and stiffness of CWSBs were more greatly affected by increasing the shear span than by increasing the pure bending one.

Experimental and Numerical Analyses of Stud Shear Connectors in Steel-SFRCC Composite Beams.

To investigate the shear performance and failure mechanism of stud shear connectors in steel fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (SFRCC) beams, six steel-SFRCC and six steel-normal strength concrete (NC) push-out specimens with two heights (80 mm, 120 mm) and three diameters (14 mm, 18 mm, 22 mm) of stud connectors were prepared. The experimental results revealed that the stud shearing failure was the main failure mode of all push-out specimens. In comparison to the steel-NC specimens, the development of cracks in the SFRCC beams was efficiently restrained due to the existence of high-strength steel fibers added to the normal concrete. The shear resistance and stiffness of studs in the steel-SFRCC beams were, respectively, 22.3% and 15.1% greater than those in the steel-NC specimens; however, their ductility was reduced, and the stud shear connectors failed in advance. The finite element (FE) model was developed and verified by push-out test results. FE analysis results indicated that the shear resistance of stud shear connectors was significantly improved with the increase in the concrete compressive strength, the stud diameter and tensile strength, whereas the aspect ratio of studs had a small impact on the ultimate resistance of stud shear connectors. Based on the as-obtained push-out experiment and FE analysis results, empirical formulas were presented to predict the load-slip curves and ultimate shear resistance of stud shear connectors in the steel-SFRCC specimens, and higher accuracy and a wider application range were obtained than with previous formulas.

Experimental Investigation on the Shear Characteristics and Failure Mechanism between Geomembrane/Geotextile Interfaces

Abstract This paper presents an experimental investigation of the shear behavior of the interface between a high-density polyethylene geomembrane and a needle-punched nonwoven geotextile (GT) under monotonic loading conditions. Direct shear tests were conducted using a self-designed experimental apparatus. The effects of interface types (textured geomembrane (GMX) and smooth geomembrane (GMS)), normal stress levels (50–600 kPa), and shear displacement rates (0.1–100 mm/min) were taken into consideration. Moreover, to better understand the shear behavior, the internal shear strength of GT was compared with the interface strengths. Mechanisms of this shear behavior were analyzed based on the test results. According to these findings, the GMS/GT interface shear deformation was governed by two important stages. The test data also provide microscale insights into the GMX/GT interaction mechanisms over lower and higher normal stress levels, which were governed by three stages.

Effect of Cementation Degree on Shear Characteristic and Failure Mechanism of Bimrocks Containing Gravels of Different Sizes

Abstract To reveal the influence of cementation degree on the mechanical properties of bimrocks with different particle sizes under different types and contents of cement, indoor direct shear tests as well as numerical tests were conducted. The variation law of mechanical properties and the development law of internal force chain distribution of bimrocks under different conditions are fully studied. The specimens with three particle sizes, two cementing types (cement and gypsum), and three cementing contents were prepared for indoor shear tests under different normal stresses. The results show that the fluctuation of shear stress-displacement curve of bimrocks with round gravels of large particle size is relatively gentle, and the fluctuation of residual strength is relatively small. Under low normal stress, the peak shear strength of bimrocks with round gravels of large particle size can be increased by 115.2% under the action of cementation. Compared with the cohesion of samples without cementation, the maximum improvement of the cohesion of the samples containing large particle size, small particle size, and mixed particle size with different cementing materials is 143.2%, 149.0%, and 141.9%, respectively. The results show that, compared with the internal friction angle of samples without cementation, the maximum increases of the internal friction angle of the samples with large particle size, small particle size, and mixed particle size for adding different contents of cementing materials are 15.7%, 18.5%, and 21.2%, respectively. Numerical tests show that, with the increase of cementation degree, the gathering of force chain is more obvious and more concentrated near the shear surface.

Experimental research and numerical analysis of shearing resistance in steel-concrete composite beam connectors

Shear connectors are an essential part of steel-concrete composite beams and play a vital role in steel-concrete composite beams. Many failures are caused by unreliable connections, resulting in many casualties, property losses, or both. Most of the current research on shear connectors in composite specimens points to simultaneous stressing together of the shear connectors and concrete because the mechanical properties of shear connectors depend on factors such as concrete strength and embedded slenderness ratio. This paper proposes a novel bolted nail and its combined connector to negate the influence of the above factors on the shear stress connector's mechanical performance. Experimental research obtained the shear resistance, failure mechanism, and stress-strain properties of shear connectors. The comparative analysis of the bolt connectors and the standard stud connectors showed that the stud connectors began to deform when loaded to 64% of the bolted connector's ultimate capacity. Deformation occurred in bolted connectors at 56% of their utmost capacity. The root of the connectors first cracked when its included angle with the horizontal direction was about 45°. The stud connectors cracked at about 50° angle, and they possessed good shearing resistance and ductility. Compared with the bolted connectors, the bearing capacity and ultimate bearing capacity corresponding to the initial deformation of the stud connectors were relatively high; 27.68% and 12.07% higher than those of the bolted connectors, respectively. The stud connectors showed better ductility, deformation performance, and shearing resistance. The bolted connectors have better pull-out resistance and are also construction and installation-friendly, improving construction efficiency and ensuring effective connection. The research results directly serve actual projects and provide a reference for similar connectors' research.

Shear Failure Mechanism and Numerical Simulation Analysis of Rock-like Materials with an Embedded Flaw

In this study, the failure characteristics of self-made rock with internal flaws under shear were studied and a numerical simulation analysis was carried out. Firstly, based on basic physical and mechanical tests, the shear strength characteristics of rocks with built-in 3D defects were summarized. PFC3D simulation software was used to model the samples with flaws, and the microscopic parameters were calibrated according to the test results. From the simulation results, it was found that the generation mode of microcracks from the flaw tip was different. The microcracks of forward shear and reverse shear were mainly generated from the horizontal direction, while the microcracks of lateral shear gradually increased from the upper and lower ends of the flaw in the opposite direction. When the peak shear strength was reached, the total number of cracks was the largest in lateral shear and the smallest in forward shear. When studying the particle velocity vector field, it was found that when reaching the peak shear strength, the particles on both sides of the prefabricated flaw appeared to be in vortex motion. When α = 45° and σn = 2 MPa, the failure mode of forward shear and lateral shear was shear-tensile-shear (S-T-S), and that of reverse shear and the intact specimen was shear-shear-shear (S-S-S). The lateral shear tensile effect was the most obvious and was mainly concentrated in the middle part of the sample.

Critical modelling criteria for precast pre-stressed hollow-core slabs

A detailed nonlinear finite element (FE) modelling approach is proposed to represent the behavior of precast pre-stressed hollow-core (PPHC) slabs under vertical loading until shear failure. Comparisons of the numerical predictions with experimental results show that the proposed model is capable of capturing the shear failure mechanism and related shear capacity of PPHC slabs with different shear spans. In addition, a detailed sensitivity study is conducted to determine the relative significance of each parameter in the strength and deformation capacity predictions made using the developed FE model of PPHC slabs. It is observed that the modulus of rupture and the crack bandwidth of the concrete and the cross-sectional size of the solid mesh element are the most important variables to be considered in reliability studies. In particular, for shorter shear spans, the modulus of rupture of the concrete played a dominant role in estimating the strength and deformation capacity of the PPHC slabs.