Reinforced Concrete I

Dr. Ahmed Al-Naghi

Chapter 6
Design of beams for shear
 Shear Design vs Moment Design
Beams are usually designed
for bending moment first.
Accordingly, cross sectional
dimensions are determined
along with the required
amounts of longitudinal
reinforcement.

Once this is done, sections are

checked for shear to determine
whether shear reinforcement
is required or not.

2
 Shear Design vs Moment Design

This by no means indicates that shear is less important than

bending. On the contrary, shear failure which is usually
initiated by diagonal tension, is far more dangerous than
flexural failure due to its brittle nature. It occurs without
warning. Therefore, beams are designed to rather fail in
bending. This is done by providing larger safety factor
against shear failure than those provided for bending.

3
 Failure by Shear

4
 Failure by Shear

5
6
7
8
 Failure by Shear

9
 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

Bent up bars

13
 Designing to Resist Shear
The strength requirement for shear that has to be satisfied is:

fVn  Vu ACI 7.5.1.1

Vu = factored shear force at section
Vn = nominal shear strength
f = strength reduction factor for shear = 0.75
The nominal shear force is generally resisted by concrete and shear
reinforcement:
Vn = Vc + Vs ACI 22.5.1.1
Vc = nominal shear force resisted by concrete
Vs = nominal shear force resisted by shear reinforcement

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Strength of Concrete in Shear

For members subject to shear Vu and bending Mu only, ACI Code

gives the following equation for calculating Vc
Simple formula

Vc = 0.17 f c ' bw d ACI Eq. 22.5.5.1

Detailed formula

ACI 22.5.5.1

As
where  w =
b wd 15
 Strength of Concrete in Shear
For members subject to axial compression Nu plus shear Vu, ACI
Code gives the following equation for calculating Vc

 N 
Vc = 0.17 1 + u  f c' bw d ACI Eq. 22.5.6.1
 14 A 
 g 

For members subject to axial tension Nu plus shear Vu, ACI Code
gives the following equation for calculating Vc

 Nu 
Vc = 0.17 1 −  f c' bw d ACI Eq. 22.5.7.1
 3.5 A 
 g 
16
 Designing to Resist Shear
To find the force required to be resisted by shear reinforcement:

Vu = fVn

Vn = Vc + Vs

Vu = fVc + fVs

Vu ACI Eq. 22.5.10.1

Vs = − Vc
f
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 Three Cases of Shear Requirement:

Case 1:
For Vu ≥ fVc ➔ shear reinforcement is required

Case 2:
For Vu ≥0.50fVc ➔ minimum shear reinforcement is required

Case 3:
For Vu < 0.50fVc ➔ no shear reinforcement is required

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 Three Cases of Shear Requirement:

19
Design of Stirrups
S
Shear reinforcement is required when
Vu  f Vc ACI 7.5.1.1
Vu
Vs = − Vc
f
The bar size of the stirrups is established and the spacing is calculated:
A v f yd Av f y d
Vs = s= ACI Eq. 22.5.10.5.3
s Vs
For inclined stirrups (with angle a) ACI Eq. 22.5.10.5.4
Av f y d ( sin α + cos α ) Av f y d ( sin α + cos α )
Vs =  s=
s Vs
where Av = the area of shear reinforcement within spacing s (for a 2-legged stirrup in
a beam: Av = 2 times the area of the stirrup bar). 20
 ACI 9.6.3
Minimum Amount of Shear Reinforcement
1
Minimum Shear Reinforcement (Av,min) is required when Vu  fVc
bw s bw s 2
Av ( min ) = 0.062 f c '  0.35
f ys f ys
 Av f ys Av f ys 
 s =min  ; 
 0.062 f c ' bw 0.35 bw 

Maximum stirrup spacing is not to exceed the smaller of d/2 or 600 mm

except in:
(a) Footings and solid slabs
(b) Concrete joist construction
(c) Beams with h not greater than 250 mm
(d) Beams integral with slabs with h not greater than 600 mm and
not greater than the larger of 2.5 times the thickness of flange, and
0.5 times width of web. 22
 Spacing Limits for Shear Reinforcement
d 
If Vs  0.33 f c bw d → smax = min  ;600 mm 
2 
ACI 9.7.6.2.2
d 
If Vs  0.33 f c bw d → smax = min  ;300 mm 
4 

Upper Limit for Vs

ACI Code requires that the maximum force resisted by shear
reinforcement Vs is as follows

V s  0.66 f c ' bw d ACI 22.5.1.2

If this condition is not satisfied ➔

Section dimensions must be increased
23
 Critical Section for Shear ACI 9.4.3.2
Critical section for shear may be taken a distance d away from the
face of the support if:
(a) Support reaction, introduces compression into the end regions of member;
(b) Loads are applied at or near the top of the member;
(c) No concentrated load occurs between face of support and location of critical
section.

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 Critical Section for Shear ACI 9.4.3.2
Critical section for shear may be taken a distance d away from the
face of the support as in cases (a) and (b), but must be taken at face
of the support as in cases (c), (d) and (e).

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(e)
 Approximate Structural Analysis
ACI 6.5
ACI Code permits the use of the following approximate shears for design
of continuous beams, provided:
• There are two or more spans.
• Spans are approximately equal, with the larger of two adjacent spans
not greater than the shorter by more than 20 percent.
• Loads are uniformly distributed.
• Unfactored live load does not exceed three times the unfactored dead
load.
• Members are of similar section dimensions along their lengths
(prismatic).

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 Approximate Structural Analysis

ACI 6.5
More than two spans

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 Approximate Structural Analysis
ACI 6.5
Two spans

l n = length of clear
span measured
face-to-face of
supports.

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 Summary of ACI Shear Design Procedure for Beams
1- Draw the shearing force diagram and establish the critical section
for shear Vu.
2- Calculate the nominal capacity of concrete in shear Vc.
Vc = 0.17 f c ' bw d
3- Calculate the force required to be resisted by shear reinforcement Vs
Vu
Vs = − Vc
f
4- Check the code limit on Vs
Vu
Vs = − Vc  0.66 f c ' bw d
f
If this condition is not satisfied, the concrete dimensions should be
increased.
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 Summary of ACI Shear Design Procedure for Beams
5- Classify the factored shearing forces acting on the beam according
to the following
* For Vu < 0.50fVc , no shear reinforcement is required.
* For Vu ≥ 0.50fVc , minimum shear reinforcement is required
 Av f ys Av f ys 
 s =min  ; 
 0.062 f c ' bw 0.35 b w
*For Vu ≥ fVc , shear reinforcement is required (in addition, check min shear)
A v f yd Av f y d ( sin α + cos α )
For vertical
stirrups
s = For inclined
s=
Vs stirrups Vs
6- Maximum spacing smax must be checked
d 
If Vs  0.33 f c bw d → smax = min  ;600 mm 
2 
d 
30 If Vs  0.33 f c bw d → smax = min  ;300 mm 
4 
 Example
A rectangular beam has the dimensions shown in the figure and is
loaded with a uniform service dead load of 40 kN/m (including own
weight of beam) and a uniform service live load of 25 kN/m.
Design the necessary shear reinforcement given that fc’ =28 MPa and
fy=420 MPa. Width of support is equal to 30 cm.

wD=40 kNm & wL=25 kN/m

60 cm

4Φ20
0.3m 0.3m
30 cm
7.0 m

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 60 cm 88 kN/m
4Φ20
Example
30 cm
0.3m
Solution: 0.542 m
Assume Φ8 mm stirrups 7.0 m

d =600-40-8-10=542 mm 308 kN 247.1 kN

wu=1.2(40)+1.6(25)=88 kN/m

1- Draw shearing force diagram: 308 kN

Critical section for shear is located
at a distance of d = 54.2 cm from the face
of support.
wu L 88  7
Vu ,max = = = 308 kN 308 Vu
2 2 =
3.5 3.5 − 0.542 − 0.15
At distance d from face of support:
Vu is equal to 247.1 kN. 32
 Example
2- Calculate the shear capacity of concrete Vc :
Vc = 0.17 f c ' bw d = 0.17 28  300  542 = 146.3 103 N = 146.3 kN
fVc = 0.75 146.3 kN = 109.7 kN
fVc
= 54.85 kN
2
3- Calculate the force required to be resisted by shear reinforcement Vs:
Vu 247.1
Vs = − Vc = − 146.3 = 183.2 kN
f 0.75
4- Check the code limit on Vs:
0.66 f c ' bw d = 0.66 28  300  542 = 567.9 103 N = 567.9 kN

Vs = 183.2 kN  0.66 f c ' bw d = 567.9 kN OK

33
Example
5- Classify the factored shear force:
Vu= 247.1 kN > fVc = 109.7 kN → shear reinforcement is required.

The beam can be designed to resist shear based on Vu = 247.1 kN over the
entire span. However, to reduce reinforcement cost, the beam will not be
designed for this shear over the entire span. The span will rather be divided
into zones of different shear demands as shown below
308 109.7
=
308 kN 3 .5 x
247.1 kN
x = 1.22 m
f Vc =109.7 kN x
y= = 0.61 m
0.5f Vc =54.85 kN 2
Zone C
Zone B
Zone A

0.61 m
1.22 m
34
3.5 m
 Example
Zone (A): [ Vu,A ≤ 0.5fVc = 54.85 kN ]
No shear reinforcement is required, but it is recommended to use minimum
area of shear reinforcement.

 Av f ys Av f ys 
s =min  ; 
 0.062 f c ' bw 0.35 b w
 2(50)  420 2(50)  420 
s = min  = 427 mm; = 400 mm   s = 400 mm
 0.062 28  300 0.35  300 

Maximum stirrup spacing is not to exceed the smaller of d/2 = 271 mm or

600 mm.
So, use Φ8 mm vertical stirrups spaced at 250 mm.

35
 Example

Zone (B): [fVc = 109.7 kN ≥ Vu,B > 0.5fVc = 54.85 kN ]

Minimum shear reinforcement is required.
Use Φ8 mm vertical stirrups spaced at 250 mm (Calculated for Zone A).

Zone (C): [Vu = 247.1 kN ≥ Vu,C > fVc = 109.7 kN ]

Vs = 183.2 kN

Av f y d 2 ( 50 )  420  542
s= = = 125 mm
Vs 183.2  10 3

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 Example
Check maximum stirrup spacing:
0.33 f c ' bw d = 0.33 28  300  542 = 284 kN  Vs = 183.2 kN
d   542 
→ smax = min  ; 600 mm  = min  = 271; 600 mm  = 271 mm
2   2 
And check with minimum stirrup requirement:
→ smax = min 271 mm; 250 mm = 250 mm

s = 125 mm  smax =250 mm OK

So, use Φ8 mm vertical stirrups spaced at 120 mm.

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 Example

308 kN
247.1 kN

f Vc =109.7 kN Φ8@250 60 cm

Zone C 0.5f Vc =54.85 kN

Φ8@120 Zone B Zone A
Φ8@250 Φ8@250 30 cm
Section in zones A&B
0.61 m
1.22 m

Φ8@120 60 cm

Φ8@120 Φ8@250 30 cm
Section in zone C

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