Title:
Reinforced Concrete Shear Design: Shortcomings and Remedy
Author(s):
Michael D. Kotsovos
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
114
Issue:
4
Appears on pages(s):
1055-1066
Keywords:
design; mechanisms of load transfer; reinforced concrete; shear; strut-and-tie; truss
DOI:
10.14359/51689682
Date:
7/1/2017
Abstract:
The paper presents typical examples of brittle failure that reinforced concrete structures continue to suffer to date in spite of the advances in shear design claimed to have been made in recent years. The key concepts underlying the development of shear design methods are concisely presented and it is shown that the cause of the apparent inability of the methods to consistently achieve their aim is the incompatibility between the assumed mechanisms of load transfer underlying the methods and fundamental concrete behavior. Simpler and more efficient design methods are presented, which have been developed on the basis of alternative mechanisms of load transfer compatible with fundamental concrete behavior at the structure’s ultimate limit state.