Chapter 6 special structure

Chapter 6
Special structural elements
Deep beams and Corbels
Deep Beams Concept:

Deep beams are structural elements loaded as simple beams in which a

significant amount of the load is carried to the supports by a compression force

combining the load and the reaction. As a result, the strain distribution is no longer

considered linear, and the shear deformations become significant when compared to

pure flexure.

Floor slabs under horizontal load, short span beams carrying heavy loads, and

transfer girders are examples of deep beams. Deep beam is a beam having large

depth/thickness ratio and shear span depth ratio less than 2.5for concentrated load

and less than 5.0 for distributed load. Because the geometry of deep beams, their

behavior is different with slender beam or intermediate beam.

Difference between Deep Beams & Simple Beams

The followings are the major different of deep beam element compared with simple
beam based on the design assumption, as follows:

 Two-Dimensional Action, because of the dimension of deep beam they behave as

two-dimensional action rather than one-dimensional action.

RC - II CENG 1
Chapter 6 special structure

 Plane Section Do Not Remain Plane, the assumption of plane section remain plane
cannot be used in the deep beam design. The strain distribution is not longer
linear.

 Shear Deformation, the shear deformation cannot be neglected as in the

ordinary beam. The stress distribution is not linear even in the elastic stage. At
the ultimate limit state the shape of concrete compressive stress block is not
parabolic shape again.

Deep Beams
Deep beams are structural elements loaded as beams but having a large

depth/thickness ratio and a shear span/depth ratio not exceeding 2 for simple span and

2.5 for continuous span, where the shear span is the clear span ln of the beam for

distributed load and the distance between the point of application of the load and the

face of the support a for concentrated load. This definition is some what arbitrary. A

better definition is: A deep beam is a beam in which a significant amount of the load is

carried to the supports by a compression thrust joining the load and the reactions. This

occurs if the above proportions are maintained

Deep beams are usually found in transfer girders (girders support one or more

columns transferring it laterally to other columns) used in multi storey buildings to

provide column offsets, in foundation walls, pile caps, walls of rectangular tanks and

bins, floor diaphragms, and shear walls.

Deep beams are usually loaded along the top edge with reactions provided at the

bottom (See Fig. 6.1a). However in some cases, e.g., the side walls of storage bins, the

loads may be applied along the bottom edge (See Fig.6.1b). Deep beams may be simply

supported or continuous.

RC - II CENG 2
Chapter 6 special structure

(a) Loads applied along the compression edge (b) Loads applied along the tension edge

Fig. 6.1 Placement of loads on deep beams

Behavior of Deep Beams

Because of the proportions of deep beams, they behave as two-dimensional

rather than one dimensional member and are subjected to a two-dimensional state of

stress. As a result plane sections before bending do not necessarily remain plane after

bending. The resulting strain distribution is no longer considered linear, and shear

deformations that are neglected in normal beams become significant compared to pure

flexure.

In the case of a single span beam supporting a concentrated load at mid span

(See Fig. 6.2b), the principal compressive stresses act roughly parallel to the lines

joining the load and the supports and the largest principal tensile stresses act parallel

to the bottom of the beam. The stress trajectories in Fig. 6.2b can be simplified to the

pattern given in Fig. 6.2c , which can further simplified to the model shown in Fig. 6.2d.

If such a beam were tested, the crack pattern would be as shown in Fig. 6.2e.

(a) Stress distribution (b) Stress trajectories (c) truss model

RC - II CENG 3
Chapter 6 special structure

(d) Simplified stress (e) Crack pattern

Fig. 6.2 Single span deep beam with concentrated load

Consequently the stress block becomes nonlinear even at the elastic stage and the
flexural stress at the bottom is constant over much of the span (See Fig 6.3b).

(a) Stress distribution (b) Stress trajectories (c) truss

model

(d) Refined truss model (e) Crack pattern

Fig. 6.3 Uniformly loaded single span deep beam
The stress trajectories, distribution of horizontal flexural stresses and the truss

models for an uncracked elastic, single span beam supporting a uniform load are shown in

Fig. 6.3.

RC - II CENG 4
Chapter 6 special structure

In both cases the cracks would almost be vertical or follow the direction of the

compression trajectories, with the beam almost shearing off from the support in a total

shear failure.

The flexural strengths of deep beams can be predicted with sufficient accuracy using

the same methods employed for beams of normal proportions. The equivalent

rectangular stress block and the associated parameters can be employed with out

change

Shear strengths of deep beams may be as much as 2 or 3 times that predicted using

code equations for normal beams For normal beams it were explained that shear

transferred in diagonally cracked beams is usually assumed to takes place by four

mechanisms: (a) direct transfer in the uncracked concrete compression zone, (b)

aggregate interlock, (c) dowel action of the main flexural reinforcement, and (d) direct

tension in the web steel. For deep beams, however, a significant part of the load is

transferred directly from the point of application to the supports by diagonal

compression struts (See Fig.6.4a). Diagonal cracks that form roughly in a direction

parallel to a line from the load to the support isolate a compression strut, which acts

with the horizontal compression in the concrete and the tension in the main

reinforcement to equilibrate the loads. The geometry of this mechanism and the

relative importance of each contribution to the shear strength clearly depend on the

proportion of the member as well as the placement of the loads and reactions.

Due to the above special features of deep beams:

- the main flexural steel is placed near the tension edge, as usual, although

because of the greater depth of the tension zone it may be advisable to

distribute such steel over, say, the bottom third of the member.

- Because the ultimate strength of deep beams depends up on strut-and-tie action,

in which the main steel is fully stressed over nearly its entire length rather than

RC - II CENG 5
Chapter 6 special structure

only at the maximum moment section, special attention must be paid to the

anchorage of such steel. Hooks and bends are normally used, even though

deformed bars are specified.

- Due to the steep gradient of principal stress trajectories in deep beams, while it

is important to include vertical stirrups, they are apt to be less effective than

horizontal web steel placed as shown in Fig. The horizontal bars are effective

not only because they act in the direction perpendicular to the diagonal crack,

thus improving shear transfer by aggregate interlock, but also because they

contribute shear transfer by dowel action. Thus, horizontal reinforcement is

needed through out the height of the beams, in addition to the vertical shear

reinforcement along the span.

(a) Loads reactions, and internal forces (b) cross sections (c)
reinforcement

Fig.6.4 Deep beam carrying concentrated load

Figure 6.4a presents stress trajectories of the principal tensile and compressive

stresses in a continuous deep beam. Comparing this diagram for the simply supported

case, one can observe the similarity of the steepness of the tensile stress trajectories

at mid span. At the continuous supports. The total section is in tension.

RC - II CENG 6
Chapter 6 special structure

(a) Stress trajectories (b) Truss model (c)

Simplified truss model

Fig. 6.5 Multi-span deep beam

Design of deep beams for shear, EBCS 2, 1995

Definitions and Limitations

- For a given shear span, a principal load is a concentrated load which causes 50

percent or more of the shear at the support of that shear span.

- The shear span av shall be taken equal to the distance from the center of the

principal load to the center of the support. This span shall not be more than 1.15

times the clear distance from the face of the load to the face of the support.

- The shear spans ls for beams supporting uniform load shall be taken equal to the

distance from the point of zero shear to the center of the support but not more

than 1.15 times the clear distance from the point of zero shear to the face of

the support

Shear strength of Deep shear Spans

- The shear resistance of deep shear spans S Rd shall be obtained as the sum of the

resistances of the concrete Vcd and the vertical and horizontal stirrups V s and Vh,

respectively.

- The applied shear Vsd shall not exceed Vrd, the limiting value of ultimate shear,

RC - II CENG 7
Chapter 6 special structure

i.e.:

Vrd = 0.25 fcdbwd

Shear Carried by Deep shear Spans

1) For deep shear span supporting a principal load:

a) The shear resistance Vrd shall be computed at Av/2. the shear reinforcement

required at this section shall be used through out the entire shear span

b) The shear force Vc carried by the concrete shall be given by :

Vc = *0.25fctdK1K2bwd

Where:  = 2d/av  1
K1 = (1+50)  2
K2 = 1.6 – d  1, d in m,
 = As/bwd

c) The shear force Vs transferred by vertical stirrups shall be given by

Av f yd (a v  d ) Av df yd
Vc  2 
Sv Sv
d) The shear force Vh transferred by horizontal stirrups shall be given by

Avh f yd (3d  a v ) Avh df yd

Vh  2 
Sh Sh

Where: Av is the area of vertical stirrups

Avh is the area of horizontal stirrups
Sv is the spacing of the vertical stirrups (S v  d/4)
Sh is the spacing of the horizontal stirrups (Sh  d/3)

2) For deep shear spans not supporting a principal load, beams supporting uniform
loads, the above provision apply with av/2 replaced by ls/3.

Design of deep beams for Flexure

RC - II CENG 8
Chapter 6 special structure

Simply Supported Beams

EBCS 2 does not specify a design procedure but requires a rigorous nonlinear analysis

for the flexural analysis and design of deep beams. The simplified provisions presented

in this section are based on the recommendation of the Euro-International Concrete

Committee (CEB). Though the lever arm in a cracked section may slightly be increased,

for design of simple span beam, one may use:

Z = 0.2(L+2h) for 1L/h2

And Z = 0.6L for L/h<1

Where L is the effective span measured center to center of supports and shall be less
than 1.15 times the clear span.

The bending moment may be obtained using elastic theory in the same way as normal
beams and
Mrd = AsfydZ

The reinforcements are detailed in such a way that:

- Flexural reinforcement bars are uniformly placed using relatively small size bars

over a vertical distance of (0.25h-0.05L)  0.2h for positive moment, where the

vertical distance is measured from the bottom extreme face of the cross

section.

- As the centrally applied load is disposed primarily by arch action, it necessitates

very good anchorages and the extension of the entire flexural reinforcement to

the supports.

Continuous Beams:
Continuous deep beams can be treated in the same manner as simply supported

deep beams, except that additional reinforcement has to be provided for the negative

moment at the support.

RC - II CENG 9
Chapter 6 special structure

The concentration of the tensile stress trajectories at the support regions of

the continuous deep beam necessitates a concentration of well-anchored horizontal

shear reinforcement. The required total flexural reinforcement area:

For multiple spans, the lever arm for both negative and positive moment may be
computed using:
Z = 0.2(L+1.5h) for 1L/h2.5
And Z = 0.5L for L/h<1

The equation for simply supported beam holds true for multi span beams.

The reinforcements are detailed in such a way that:

- Half the negative moment bars over supports should

extend overall full length of adjacent spans.

- Negative bars are uniformly distributed in two bands in

such a way that:

As1 = 0.5(L/h-1)As in the upper bands for 0.2h

As2 = As-As1 in the lower band with in a depth of 0.6h below the upper band (See

the figure).

RC - II CENG 10
Chapter 6 special structure

Brackets and Corbels

Introduction

Corbels are short brackets projecting from the columns, generally provided to

support rails, which transmit heavy loads from moving cranes in heavy duty factory

workshops. Corbels are also provided at the cantilever end of girders in double

cantilever balanced reinforced concrete bridges to support the end spans of the bridge.

The corbel is cast monolithic with the column element or wall element.

The followings are the major items show the behavior of the reinforced

concrete corbel, as follows:

 The shear span/depth ratio is less than 1.0, it makes the corbel behave in

two-dimensional manner.

 Shear deformation is significant is the corbel.

RC - II CENG 11
Chapter 6 special structure

 There is large horizontal force transmitted from the supported beam result

from long-term shrinkage and creep deformation.

 Bearing failure due to large concentrated load.

 The cracks are usually vertical or inclined pure shear cracks.

 The mode of failure of corbel is: yielding of the tension tie, failure of the end

anchorage of the tension tie, failure of concrete by compression or shearing and

bearing failure.

BEHAVIOR OF CORBEL

The load transfer at support is mainly by strut action than by simple flexure. In

the case of corbel heavy loads are transmitted very near to the supporting

column and the shear resistance of reinforced concrete members is different

from that in which the loads are away from the supports.

The shear resistance of concrete depends upon the shear span to depth ratio

ranges from 0.5 to 2.

STRUT AND TIE SYSTEM IN CORBEL

RC - II CENG 12
Chapter 6 special structure

FIG: FAILURE MODES OF CORBEL

Reinforcement Detailing

As the bracket (corbel) dimensions are small, special attention must be paid to provide

proper anchorage for all bars. The main tensile bars of are must develop their full yield

strength directly under the load, and for this reason are usually anchored by welding to

the bearing plate or angle.

The modes of failure due to direct shear along a plane more or less flush with

the vertical face of the main part of the column can be controlled by shear friction

reinforcement. The bars providing are placed in the form of closed hoops, and usually of

RC - II CENG 13
Chapter 6 special structure

about the same diameter as the stirrups, and serve mainly to improve stirrup anchorage

at the outer end of the bracket.

RC - II CENG 14