Introduction

• So far we have dealt with the flexural behavior and flexural

strength of beams.
• Beams must also have an adequate safety margin against other
types of failure, some of which may be more dangerous than
flexural failure.
• This may be so because of greater uncertainty in predicting
certain other modes of collapse, or because of the catastrophic
nature of some other types of failure, should they occur.

2
 Introduction
• Shear failure of reinforced concrete, more properly called diagonal
tension failure, is one example (resulting from the combination of
shear stress and longitudinal flexural stress)
• Shear failure is difficult to predict accurately. In spite of many
decades of experimental research and the use of highly
sophisticated analytical tools, it is not yet fully understood.
• Furthermore, if a beam without properly designed shear
reinforcement is overloaded to failure, shear collapse is likely to
occur suddenly, with no advance warning of distress. This is in
strong contrast with the nature of flexural failure.

3
 Introduction
• Because of these differences in behavior, reinforced concrete
beams are generally provided with special shear reinforcement to
ensure that flexural failure would occur before shear failure if the
member were severely overloaded.

4
 Introduction
Shear failure of reinforced
concrete beam: (a) overall
view and (b) detail near
right
support.

With no shear
reinforcement provided,
the member failed
immediately upon
formation of the critical
crack in the high-shear
region near the right
5
support.
 Diagonal tension in homogeneous elastic beams

• In homogeneous beams, when the material is elastic (stresses

proportional to strains), the bending stresses are equal to

• and the shear stresses are equal to

6
Diagonal tension in homogeneous elastic beams

7
Diagonal tension in homogeneous elastic beams

8
Diagonal tension in homogeneous elastic beams

9
 Diagonal tension in homogeneous elastic beams

• Fig (a) shows a simply supported beam under uniform load. If a

small square element located at the neutral axis of such a beam is
isolated, as shown in Fig. (b), the vertical shear stresses on it, equal
and opposite on the two faces for reasons of equilibrium, act as
shown.
• However, if these were the only stresses present, the element
would not be in equilibrium; it would spin.
• Therefore, on the two horizontal faces there exist equilibrating
horizontal shear stresses of the same magnitude.

10
 Diagonal tension in homogeneous elastic beams

• If an element of the beam is considered that is located neither at

the neutral axis nor at the outer edges, its vertical faces are
subject not only to the shear stresses but also to the familiar
bending stresses, as shown in Fig. (c).
• Since the magnitudes of the shear stresses and the bending
stresses change both along the beam and vertically with distance
from the neutral axis, the inclinations as well as the magnitudes of
the resulting principal stresses t also vary from one place to
another, as shown in next figure

11
 Diagonal tension in homogeneous elastic beams

• Figure (f) shows the inclinations of these principal stresses for a

rectangular beam uniformly loaded. That is, these stress
trajectories are lines which, at any point, are drawn in that
direction in which the particular principal stress, tension or
compression, acts at that point.
• It is seen that at the neutral axis the principal stresses in a beam
are always inclined at 45° to the axis. In the vicinity of the outer
fibers they are horizontal near midspan.

12
 Diagonal tension in homogeneous elastic beams

• An important point follows from this discussion. Tensile stresses,

which are of particular concern in view of the low tensile strength
of the concrete, are not confined to the horizontal bending
stresses f that are caused by bending alone.
• Tensile stresses of various inclinations and magnitudes, resulting
from shear alone (at the neutral axis) or from the combined action
of shear and bending, exist in all parts of a beam and can impair
its integrity if not adequately provided for.
• It is for this reason that the inclined tensile stresses, known as
diagonal tension, must be carefully considered in reinforced
concrete design.

13
 Reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement

• The above discussion of shear in a homogeneous elastic beam

applies very closely to a plain concrete beam without
reinforcement.
• As the load is increased in such a beam, a tension crack will form
where the tensile stresses are largest and will immediately cause
the beam to fail.
• Generally, the largest tensile stresses are those caused at the outer
fiber by bending alone, at the section of maximum bending
moment. In this case, shear has little, if any, influence on the
strength of a beam.

14
Reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement

15
 Reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement

• However, when tension reinforcement is provided, the situation is

quite different. Even though tension cracks form in the concrete,
the required flexural tension strength is furnished by the steel, and
much higher loads can be carried.
• Shear stresses increase proportionally to the loads. In
consequence, diagonal tension stresses of significant intensity are
created in regions of high shear forces, chiefly close to the
supports.

16
 Reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement

• The longitudinal tension reinforcement has been so calculated and

placed that it is chiefly effective in resisting longitudinal tension
near the tension face.
• It does not reinforce the tensionally weak concrete against the
diagonal tension stresses that occur elsewhere, caused by shear
alone or by the combined effect of shear and flexure.
• Eventually, these stresses attain magnitudes sufficient to open
additional tension cracks in a direction perpendicular to the local
tension stress. These are known as diagonal cracks, in distinction
to the vertical flexural cracks.

17
 Reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement

• The vertical flexural cracks occur in regions of large moments,

whereas the diagonal cracks occur in regions in which the shear
forces are high.
• In beams in which no reinforcement is provided to counteract the
formation of large diagonal tension cracks, their appearance has
far-reaching and detrimental effects.

18
Formation of Diagonal Cracks

19
Formation of Diagonal Cracks

20
 Formation of Diagonal Cracks
• Depending on configuration, support conditions, and load
distribution, a given location in a beam may have a large moment
combined with a small shear force, or the reverse, or large or small
values for both shear and moment.
• Evidently, the relative values of M and V will affect the magnitude
as well as the direction of the diagonal tension stresses.

21
 Formation of Diagonal Cracks
• If flexural stresses are negligibly small at the particular location,
the diagonal tensile stresses, are inclined at about 45° and are
numerically equal to the shear stresses, with a maximum at the
neutral axis.
• Consequently, diagonal cracks form mostly at or near the neutral
axis and propagate from that location and are also called as also
called as web-shear cracks.
• Web-shear cracking is relatively rare and occurs chiefly near
supports of deep, thin-webbed beams

22
Formation of Diagonal Cracks

23
 Formation of Diagonal Cracks
• The situation is different when both the shear force and the
bending moment have large values.
• At such locations, in a well-proportioned and reinforced beam,
flexural tension cracks form first. Their width and length are well
controlled and kept small by the presence of longitudinal
reinforcement.
• However, when the diagonal tension stress at the upper end of
one or more of these cracks exceeds the tensile strength of the
concrete, the crack bends in a diagonal direction and continues to
grow in length and width.
• These cracks are known as flexure-shear cracks and are more
common than web-shear cracks.

24
Formation of Diagonal Cracks

25
 Types of Cracks in Reinforced Concrete Beam
1. Flexural Cracks
2. Diagonal Tension Cracks
i. Web-shear cracks: These cracks are formed at locations where flexural
stresses are negligibly small.
ii. Flexure shear cracks: These cracks are formed where shear force and
bending moment have large values.

26
 Shear and cracks in beams
• It is concluded that the shearing force acting on a vertical section
in a reinforced concrete beam does not cause direct rupture of
that section.
• Shear by itself or in combination with flexure may cause failure
indirectly by producing tensile stresses on inclined planes.
• If these stresses exceed the relatively low tensile strength of
concrete, diagonal cracks develop.
• If these cracks are not checked, splitting of the beam or what is
known as diagonal tension failure will take place.

27
Shear Strength of Concrete in Presence of Cracks
• A large number of tests on beams have shown that in regions
where small moment and large shear exist (web shear crack
location) the nominal or average shear strength is taken as

𝑉𝑐𝑟 = 3.5 𝑓𝑐′

• However in the presence of large moments (for which adequate

longitudinal reinforcement has been provided), the nominal shear
strength corresponding to formation of diagonal tension cracks
can be taken as:

𝑉𝑐𝑟 = 2 𝑓𝑐′

28
• The same has been adopted by ACI code (refer to ACI 22.5.2.1).
• This reduction of shear strength of concrete is due to the pre-
existence of flexural cracks.
• It is important to mention here that this value of shear strength of
concrete exists at the ultimate i.e., just prior to the failure
condition.

29
 ACI Shear Design

Stirrups for shear design

𝐴𝑣

30
 Anchorage of Stirrups
• Stirrups must be well anchored

31
 ACI Shear Design

Stirrups for shear design

𝑑
45𝑜

𝑑
𝐴𝑣
𝑓𝑣 𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑦𝑡 ACI code recommends to use 60000 psi or lower

Common #3 ≤ #10 𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑠

practice #4 > #10 𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑠
32
Location of Critical Section for Shear Design
• In most of the cases, for the design of shear, critical shear is taken
at a distance 𝑑 from the support instead of maximum shear at the
face of the support

33
Location of Critical Section for Shear Design

Typical support Typical support

conditions conditions

A beam loaded
Concentrated near its bottom
load within edge, e.g.
distance “𝑑” inverted T-beam

End of a Fig a and b are the

monolithic vertical more frequent
element conditions while the
fig c, d and e are the
special conditions
34
ACI Shear Design

45𝑜

35
 Internal Forces in a Beam w.r.t Shear Design

𝑉𝑐

𝑉𝑠

𝑉𝑑
ACI recommends to ignore 𝑉𝑑

( ACI 22.5.1.1) 𝑉𝑛 = 𝑉𝑐 + 𝑉𝑠 + 𝑉𝑑

𝐸𝑞. 1 𝜙𝑉𝑛 = 𝜙(𝑉𝑐 + 𝑉𝑠 ) 𝜙 = 0.75

𝜙 is fixed for shear design and
Shear strength of 𝜙𝑉𝑛 ≥ 𝑉𝑢 Factored lower than 𝜙 for flexural design
cross-section shear force due to sudden failure in shear
36
 ACI Shear Design

𝜙𝑉𝑛 = 𝜙(𝑉𝑐 + 𝑉𝑠 ) 𝐸𝑞. 1

Shear strength of cross-section 𝜙𝑉𝑛 ≥ 𝑉𝑢 Factored shear force 𝐸𝑞. 2

For normal weight concrete 𝑉𝑐 = 2 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤 𝑑 𝐸𝑞. 3

Now we need to find 𝑉𝑠

37
 Internal Forces in a Beam w.r.t Shear Design
𝑠

𝑑 𝑑
𝑑 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑢𝑝𝑠 =
𝑉𝑠 𝑠
𝑜
45

𝑑 ACI recommends
that at least one
stirrup should
𝑉𝑠 = 𝐴𝑣 × 𝑓𝑦𝑡 × 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑢𝑝𝑠 pass through the
crack
𝑑
𝑉𝑠 = 𝐴𝑣 × 𝑓𝑦𝑡 × 𝐸𝑞. 4
𝑠
𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡 𝑑 𝐸𝑞. 5
𝑠=
𝑉𝑠
38
 ACI Shear Design

𝜙𝑉𝑛 = 𝜙(𝑉𝑐 + 𝑉𝑠 ) 𝐸𝑞. 1

Shear strength of cross-section 𝜙𝑉𝑛 ≥ 𝑉𝑢 Factored shear force 𝐸𝑞. 2

𝐸𝑞. 6
Comparing both equations 𝜙(𝑉𝑐 + 𝑉𝑠 ) ≥ 𝑉𝑢

𝜙𝑉𝑐 + 𝜙𝑉𝑠 ≥ 𝑉𝑢

𝜙𝑉𝑠 ≥ 𝑉𝑢 − 𝜙𝑉𝑐 (Excess shear)

𝐸𝑞. 7

Putting value of 𝑉𝑠 𝜙𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡 𝑑

from Eq. 4 in Eq. 7, 𝜙𝑉𝑠 = ≥ 𝑉𝑢 − 𝜙𝑉𝑐
𝑠
𝜙𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡 𝑑 𝐸𝑞. 8
𝑠=
𝑉𝑢 − 𝜙𝑉𝑐
39
 Types of Shear Reinforcement
• The code allows the use of three types of Shear Reinforcement
• Vertical Stirrups
• Inclined stirrups
• Bent up bars
Inclined Stirrups Vertical Stirrups

Stirrups should be
inclined but practically it
is not feasible

Bent up bars

40
Types of Shear Reinforcement

Bent up bars

𝑉
SFD

𝑀 𝑀𝑚𝑎𝑥

BMD

41
 ACI Code Provisions for Shear Design
𝑉𝑢 ≤ 𝜙𝑉𝑛 𝜙 = 0.75 𝑉𝑛 = (𝑉𝑐 + 𝑉𝑠 )

𝑉𝑢 = Total Factored shear force applied at a section

𝑉𝑛 = Shear strength of cross-section

• Critical section is at a distance "𝑑“ from the face of support

a. Shear capacity of concrete 𝑉𝑐

𝑉𝑐 = 2 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤 𝑑 𝐸𝑞. 3

42
 ACI Code Provisions for Shear Design
b. Minimum shear reinforcement

𝜙𝑉𝑐
1. When 𝑉𝑢 ≤ no web reinforcement is required
2
𝜙𝑉𝑐 theoretically no web reinforcement is required.
2. When < 𝑉𝑢 ≤ 𝜙𝑉𝑐
2 However ACI 22.5 recommends that minimum
web reinforcement in the form of Maximum
spacing 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 shall be provided where:
𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡
൘
50 𝑏𝑤
𝑑ൗ
𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 2
24 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡
൘
0.75 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤
43
 ACI Code Provisions for Shear Design
b. Minimum shear reinforcement

3. When 𝜙𝑉𝑐 < 𝑉𝑢 web reinforcement is required:

𝜙𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡 𝑑
Required Spacing, 𝑠𝑑 = 𝐸𝑞. 8
𝑉𝑢 − 𝜙𝑉𝑐

𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡
൘
If 𝑠𝑑 > 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 ; use 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 50 𝑏𝑤
𝑑ൗ
𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 2
24 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡
൘
0.75 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤

44
 ACI Code Provisions for Shear Design
c. Check for Spacing and Cross-section Depth:
1. If 𝑉𝑠 ≤ 2𝑉𝑐 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 will be as given above (lowest of the 4
options)

2. If 2𝑉𝑐 < 𝑉𝑠 ≤ 4𝑉𝑐 Divide 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 by 2

Depth of beam is ok up to this point

3. If 𝑉𝑠 > 4𝑉𝑐 Not allowed. Redesign the section

Increase the depth of beam or
increase 𝑓𝑐′
𝑉𝑐 = 2 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤 𝑑

45
 Placement of Shear Reinforcement
1st stirrup is
provided at s/2
from the face of
the support 𝑉 𝑉𝑢
𝜙𝑉𝑐
𝜙𝑉𝑐
Support 2 Mid span
𝑑 𝑠𝑑 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 Theoretically no
stirrups needed

When 𝜙𝑉𝑐 <𝑉𝑢 , use Design Spacing, ′𝑠𝑑 ′

When 𝜙𝑉𝑐 >𝑉𝑢 , use Maximum Spacing, ′𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 ′

𝑉𝑢 is the shear force at distance “𝑑” from the face of the support.
𝜙𝑉𝑐
𝜙𝑉𝑐 and are plotted on shear force diagram.
2

46
 Example 6.1
• Beam without web reinforcement.
• A rectangular beam is to be designed to carry a shear force 𝑉𝑢 of
27 kips. No web reinforcement is to be used, and 𝑓𝑐′ is 4000 psi.
What is the minimum cross section if controlled by shear?

47
 Example 6.1
• Solution
• If no web reinforcement is to be used, the cross-sectional
dimensions must be selected so that the applied shear 𝑉𝑢 is no
𝜙𝑉𝑐
larger than one-half the design shear strength ( )
2
𝜙𝑉𝑐
𝑉𝑢 =
2
1
As 𝑉𝑐 = 2 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤 𝑑 𝑉𝑢 = 𝜙 2 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤 𝑑
2

1
27000 = × 0.75 × 2 × 4000 × 𝑏𝑤 𝑑
2

48
 Example 6.1
1
27000 = × 0.75 × 2 × 4000 × 𝑏𝑤 𝑑
2

27000 × 2
𝑏𝑤 𝑑 = = 569 𝑖𝑛2
0.75 × 2 × 4000

Let 𝑏𝑤 = 18"

then, 𝑑 = 32"

Alternately, if the minimum amount of web reinforcement is used,

the concrete shear resistance may be taken at its full value 𝜙𝑉𝑐 ,

49
 Example 6.1
𝑉𝑢 = 𝜙𝑉𝑐

𝑉𝑢 = 𝜙2 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤 𝑑

27000 = 0.75 × 2 × 4000 × 𝑏𝑤 𝑑

27000
𝑏𝑤 𝑑 = = 284.6 𝑖𝑛2
0.75 × 2 × 4000

Let 𝑏𝑤 = 12"

then, 𝑑 = 24"

Lets say you have to specify the web-reinforcement

50
 Example 6.1
𝜙𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡 𝑑
𝑠𝑑 =
𝑉𝑢 − 𝜙𝑉𝑐
𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡
൘
50 𝑏𝑤
𝑑ൗ
𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 2
24 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡
൘
0.75 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤

When 𝜙𝑉𝑐 <𝑉𝑢 , use Design Spacing, ′𝑠𝑑 ′ 𝑉𝑢 = 27 𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠

When 𝜙𝑉𝑐 >𝑉𝑢 , use Maximum Spacing, ′𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 ′ 𝜙𝑉𝑐 = 0.75 × 2 𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝑤 𝑑 = 27.322 𝑘𝑖𝑝𝑠
𝜙𝑉𝑐 >𝑉𝑢
51
 Example 6.1
Assuming 𝑓𝑦𝑡 = 60000𝑝𝑠𝑖 and using 2 legs of #3 stirrups
𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡
൘ = 22"
50 𝑏𝑤
𝑑ൗ = 12"
𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 2
24 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
𝐴𝑣 𝑓𝑦𝑡
൘ ′
= 23.2"
0.75 𝑓𝑐 𝑏𝑤

Provide #3 bars @ 12” c/c

52