Shear in concrete

Shear stress, shear strength, shear stress distribution, shear failure, shear reinforcement, nominal shear stress, allowable shear strength of concrete, maximum shear strength, shear section. Is that enough?, you may never dont come across the shear of concrete this much seriously, but you are going to do, after you read this. Shear in concrete is a tricky thing, rather a confusing thing in which exact prediction and analysis is virtually impossible. All the stress resultant BM, shear, torsion etc cause stress inside the section of concrete. For BM, fx = My/I (flexural stress) = VQ/Ib (Shear stress) Shear stress distribution is parabolic

having maximum at centre i.e. neutral axis. But flexural stress (normal stress) is having linear variation having zero stress at neutral axis and maximum at top and bottom, evidently it is clear that across the section of beam there is a combination of normal and shear stresses. This give rise to a complex system of principal planes and principal stresses. Some of the facts we can assure is that 1. At neutral axis, there is a state of pure shear (normal stress is zero) 2. At top and bottom there is only axial stress ( = 0) Keeping these complexities in mind we are going to waste our life in analysing the exact stress conditions and its transfer mechanisms.

Nominal shear stress

As said above, we are going to cheat the shear by taking the nominal shear stress concept as defined by the code to find the shear stress distribution and leave the rest to GOD. Nominal shear stress, v = V/bd Isnt that simple?, just distribute the whole shear force into the full area of cross section uniformly. Shear stress analysis and distribution is over, go and sleep now.

How much concrete can take?

This part of the shear stress program is taken by concrete in association with tension steel; Dont underestimate the concrete, it has some shear strength inherently and in association with main tension steel it is enhanced based on 100Ast/bd (% reinforcement) Although a maximum value is prescribed by the code that is max Only the rest of the shear stress after taken by concrete is given to shear stirrups. Dont ask the mechanism of stirrups. It will take another whole day to explain. Please look codal provision for giving the shear stirrups and make the life happy!!

Critical shear section

At support shear is maximum, this fact is well known to us. But i think code does not know this, he suggests critical section for shear at a distance d from the supports Believe it or not, when compression is induced by the supports shear strength is enhanced there. (please note that this is true only if compression is induced by supports). You have to take the word of code for this fact because it took many months to understand the concept even for the code developers. So be a good student and accept the fact.

Do you know? Slabs usually dont need shear reinforcement as its shear strength enhanced by a value K depending on the depth, more thinner the slab more the K value. Believe me you dont need the explanation for this.