29

thickness of the assumed thin-walled cross section. This term has been
previously discussed in Sec. 2.6.1 of Report 248-3. In the Swiss Code
"be" is taken as d
e
/6 for a solid cross section. For a hollow cross
section be = t, where t represents the wall thickness of the cross

I
de
The term de is defined in Fig. 2.9
, de
t
Ao = hatched area
Fig. 2.9 Definition of the term de in the effective
wall thickness be (from Ref. 10)
To avoid failures due to web crushing an upper limit for the
nominal shear stress due to torsion vn must not exceed the value of
v
max
' which is a function of the concrete strength and the maximum
stirrup spacing s.
v
max
= 5vcu for Srnax = d
e
/2 but s < 12 in.
v
max
= 6vcu for smax = d
e
/3 but s < 8 in.
30
In the above expressions for s, for small solid cross sections
(rectangle, T-section) with side ratios greater than 3:1 "de" can be
replaced by 2*d
e

A comparison of these upper limits and the limit of 12 ~
suggested in the ACI Code (2) and AASHTO Standard Specs. (1) for the
case of pure torsion is shown in Fig. 2.10. Again, the Swiss limits
allow higher torsional stresses.
2000
1000
V max (pin
6Vcu
~ V U
I
12Jfc
0.00 2 3 4 5
Fig. 2.10 Comparison between the upper limits of the
shear stress in the case of pure torsion
f ~ (pin
For the case of combined actions the nominal shear stress due to
shear and torsion must not exceed the prescribed values of v
max

v(V + T) = v(V) + veT) < v
max
(2.22)
The concrete contribution in the transition zone Vc is to be evaluated
for the simultaneous action of shear and torsion and then is to be
31
distributed in accordance with the respective levels of shear and
tor s ion so t hat v c ( V ) = (v ( V ) / v (V + T v can d v c ( T) = (v ( T ) / v (V + Tv c
The stirrup reinforcement required for shear and torsion are to be
determined separately and then superimposed. The longitudinal
reinforcement for shear and torsion must be determined separately and
then added to the reinforcement for bend ing. If at a cross section the
tensile force due to shear or torsion is counteracted by a compression
force due to bending, the longitudinal reinforcement required will only
be that required for the remaining tensile force.
The reinforcement for shear and torsion must meet the following
requirements. The minimum area of shear reinforcement must be equal or
greater to
(2.23)
for the case of shear, and
(2.24)
in the case of torsion. The stirrup reinforcement is to be continued on
past the design region for at least the distance of the stirrup spacing.
Stirrups must enclose the longitudinal reinforcement, and be properly
anchored so that their required strength is effective over the depth z.
The additional longitudinal reinforcement required for shear
and/or torsion is to be placed uniformly around the perimeter "u" formed
by the stirrups. Furthermore, the longitudinal steel at the corners
should be arranged so as to prevent pushing out of the concrete
32
compression field. Proper detailing also calls for sufficient anchorage
of the longitudinal reinforcement particularly at the support regions.
2.2.3 Proposed Canadian Code--General Method. The General
Method design procedure proposed in the Canad ian Code Draft of August
1982 (23) is based on the compression field theory developed by Collins
and Mitchell (17) and uses equilibrium relations from the truss model.
The General Method is applicable to both reinforced and prestressed
concrete members subjected to shear and/or torsion. Collins and
Mitchell further developed the truss model in the compression field
theory by introducing a compatibility condition for the strains of the
transverse and longitudinal steel members and the diagonal concrete
compression strut. This condition was derived only for a constant
strain profile over the section such as in the case of pure torsion,
leading to the equation
(2.25 )
whereais the angle of inclination of the diagonal strut, E:ds is the
compressive strain in the diagonal strut, E:l is the longitudinal tensile
strain, and E:s is the transverse tensile strain. Eq. 2.25 allows the
evaluation of the incl ination of the diagonal compression struts for a
given state of strain in the shear field element. Using Eq. 2.25, the
stress-strain relationships of the concrete and the steel, and the
equilibrium equations of the truss model, the compression field theory
attempts to predict the full behavioral response of reinforced and
prestressed concrete members subjected to torsion or shear.