Shear Resistant Mechanism into Base Components: Beam Action and Arch Action in Shear-Critical RC Members

Abstract

In the present paper, a behavioral model is proposed for study of the individual contributions to shear capacity in shear-critical reinforced concrete members. On the basis of the relationship between shear and bending moment (V = dM/dx) in beams subjected to combined shear and moment loads, the shear resistant mechanism is explicitly decoupled into the base components-beam action and arch action. Then the overall behavior of a beam is explained in terms of the combination of these two base components. The gross compatibility condition between the deformations associated with the two actions is formulated utilizing the truss idealization together with some approximations. From this compatibility condition, the ratio of the shear contribution by the tied arch action is determined. The performance of the model is examined by a comparison with the experimental data in literatures. The results show that the proposed model can explain beam shear behavior in consistent way with clear physical significance. © 2014 The Author(s).