Title:
Investigation of Load-Transfer Mechanisms in Deep Beams and Corbels
Author(s):
Zhi-Qi He, Zhao Liu, and Zhongguo John Ma
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
109
Issue:
4
Appears on pages(s):
467-476
Keywords:
corbels; deep beams; load transfer; shear; strut-and-tie models
DOI:
10.14359/51683866
Date:
7/1/2012
Abstract:
From the view of strut-and-tie models (STMs), deep beams and corbels transfer shear mainly through a combination of an idealized direct strut mechanism and a truss mechanism. In this paper, direct equations are presented to quantify the contribution of each load-transfer mechanism, which is derived from a criterion for maximizing the strength capacity of the combined model. Through comparison with published test results, the proposed method is shown to properly predict the load distribution between the direct strut and indirect truss mechanisms and the contribution of horizontal and vertical web reinforcement in concrete members with wide-ranging shear span-depth ratios (a/d). The proposed method provides a consistent transition for recognizing the shear-resisting mechanisms from a deep member to a slender one, which is also essential for the design of deep beams and corbels using STMs.