Title: Crushing Strength of Reinforced Concrete Membranes

Author(s): Morris N. Fialkow

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 85

Issue: 5

Appears on pages(s): 485-491

Keywords: compressive strength; failure; failure mechanisms; membranes; reinforced concrete; shearwalls; shells (structural forms); structural design; Structural Research

DOI: 10.14359/2775

Date: 9/1/1988

Abstract:
Develops a methodology for the determination of the crushing strength of reinforced concrete membranes with two-way orthogonal reinforcement on the basis of theoretical considerations and experimental results. It differs from previous work in this area with respect to two principal features. First, whereas previous strength expressions are derived empirically using only symmetric-type loadings, the strength evaluation is derived herein to be applicable to the full range of general in-plane loadings. Second, the paper evaluates and clarifies the difference between the membrane crushing strength and the crushing strength of its constituent. The importance of the membrane crushing strength rather than the concrete crushing strength in the determination of the mode of failure and in the design and analysis of membrane structures such as shearwalls and shells is demonstrated. An illustrative example of the methodology is included.