Prestressed Concrete Structures

Dr. Amlan K Sengupta and Prof. Devdas Menon

5.2 Design for Shear (Part I)

This section covers the following topics.

General Comments

Limit State of Collapse for Shear

5.2.1 General Comments

Calculation of Shear Demand
The objective of design is to provide ultimate resistance for shear (VuR) greater than the
shear demand under ultimate loads (Vu). For simply supported prestressed beams, the
maximum shear near the support is given by the beam theory. For continuous
prestressed beams, a rigorous analysis can be done by the moment distribution method.
Else, the shear coefficients in Table 13 of IS:456 - 2000 can be used under conditions
of uniform cross-section of the beams, uniform loads and similar lengths of span.

Design of Stirrups
The design is done for the critical section. The critical section is defined in Clause
22.6.2 of IS:456 - 2000. In general cases, the face of the support is considered as the
critical section.
When the reaction at the support introduces compression at the end of the beam, the
critical section can be selected at a distance effective depth from the face of the support.
The effective depth is selected as the greater of dp or ds.
dp = depth of CGS from the extreme compression fiber
ds = depth of centroid of non-prestressed steel.
Since the CGS is at a higher location near the support, the effective depth will be equal
to ds.
To vary the spacing of stirrups along the span, other sections may be selected for
design. Usually the following scheme is selected for beams under uniform load.
1) Close spacing for quarter of the span adjacent to the supports.
2) Wide spacing for half of the span at the middle.

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Prestressed Concrete Structures

Dr. Amlan K Sengupta and Prof. Devdas Menon

For large beams, more variation of spacing may be selected. The following sketch
shows the typical variation of spacing of stirrups. The span is represented by L.

L/4

L/2

Figure 5-2.1

L/4

Typical variation of spacing of stirrups

5.2.2 Limit State of Collapse for Shear

The shear is studied based on the capacity of a section which is the limit state of
collapse. The capacity (or ultimate resistance) of a section (VuR) consists of a concrete
contribution (Vc) and the stirrup contribution (VS).
VuR = VC + VS

(5-2.1)

Vc includes Vcz (contribution from uncracked concrete), Va (aggregate interlock) and Vd

(dowel action).
The value of Vc depends on whether the section is cracked due to flexure. Section 22.4
of IS:1343 - 1980 gives two expressions of Vc, one for cracked section and the other for
uncracked section. Usually, the expression for the uncracked section will govern near
the support. The expression for the cracked section will govern near the mid span. Of
course, both the expressions need to be evaluated at a particular section. The lower
value obtained from the two expressions is selected.
For uncracked sections,
Vc = Vco
Vc = 0.67bD ft 2 + 0.8fcp ft
Vco is the shear causing web shear cracking at CGC.
In the above expression,
b = breadth of the section
= bw, breadth of the web for flanged sections
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Prestressed Concrete Structures

Dr. Amlan K Sengupta and Prof. Devdas Menon

D = total depth of the section (h)

ft

= tensile strength of concrete = 0.24fck

fcp = compressive stress in concrete at CGC due to the prestress

= Pe/A.
The value of fcp is taken as positive (numeric value). Note that, a reduced effective
prestress needs to be considered in the transmission length (explained in Section 7.1)
region of a pre-tensioned beam.

The previous equation can be derived based on the expression of the principal tensile
stress (1) at CGC.

v
fcp

fcp

State of stress
at CGC

Figure 5-2.2

(fcp,v)
2

Principal stresses

Mohrs circle

State of stresses at a point on the neutral axis for a prestressed beam

The principal tensile stress is equated to the direct tensile strength of concrete (ft).
1 = =-

fcp
2
fcp
2

+
+

fcp2
4
fcp2

+ v2

V Q
+ c 0
4 Ib

= ft
In the previous equation,
I

= gross moment of inertia

Q = At y
At = area of section above CGC
y = vertical distance of centroid of At from CGC.

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Prestressed Concrete Structures

Dr. Amlan K Sengupta and Prof. Devdas Menon

At
+
CGC

Figure 5-2.3

Cross-section of a beam showing the variables for calculating shear

stress in the web

Transposing the terms,

Vc 0 =

Ib 2
ft + fcp ft
Q

0.67bD ft 2 + 0.8fcp ft

(5-2.4)

The term 0.67bD represents Ib/Q for the section. It is exact for a rectangular section and
conservative for other sections.
To be conservative, only 80% of the prestressing force is considered in the term 0.8fcp.
For a flanged section, when the CGC is in the flange, the intersection of web and flange
is considered to be the critical location. The expression of Vc0 is modified by substituting
0.8fcp with 0.8 (the stress in concrete at the level of the intersection of web and flange).
In presence of inclined tendons or vertical prestress, the vertical component of the
prestressing force (Vp) can be added to Vc0.

Vc Vc 0 +Vp
= 0.67bD ft 2 + 0.8fcp ft +Vp

(5-2.5)

For cracked sections,

Vc = Vcr

f
V
Vc = 1- 0.55 pe c bd + M0 u
fpk
Mu

0.1bd fck

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Prestressed Concrete Structures

Dr. Amlan K Sengupta and Prof. Devdas Menon

Vcr is the shear corresponding to flexure shear cracking. The term (1 0.55fpe /fpk)cbd
is the additional shear that changes a flexural crack to a flexure shear crack.
The notations in the previous equation are as follows.
fpe = effective prestress in the tendon after all losses
0.6fpk
fpk = characteristic strength of prestressing steel

c = ultimate shear stress capacity of concrete, obtained from Table 6 of

IS:1343 - 1980. It is given for values of Ap / bd, where d is the depth of

CGS. The values are plotted in the next figure.

b = breadth of the section
= bw , breadth of the web for flanged sections
d = distance from the extreme compression fibre to the centroid of the
tendons at the section considered
M0 = moment initiating a flexural crack
Mu = moment due to ultimate loads at the design section
Vu = shear due to ultimate loads at the design section.

c (N/mm2)

1.2
0.8
0.4
0
0

2
A p /bd x 100

M30

Figure 5-2.4

M40

Variation of shear strength of concrete

The term (M0/Mu)Vu is the shear corresponding to the moment M0, that decompresses
(nullifies the effect of prestress) the tension face and initiates a flexural crack. The
expression of M0 is given below.
M0 = 0.8fpt

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I
y

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Prestressed Concrete Structures

Dr. Amlan K Sengupta and Prof. Devdas Menon

In the above expression,

fpt = magnitude of the compressive stress in concrete at the level of CGS due to
prestress only.
An equal amount of tensile stress is required to decompress the concrete at the level of
CGS. The corresponding moment is fptI / y.
In the expression of M0,
I

= gross moment of inertia

y = depth of the CGS from CGC.

The factor 0.8 implies that M0 is estimated to be 80% of the moment that decompresses
the concrete at the level of CGS. Since the concrete is cracked and the inclination of
tendon is small away from the supports, any vertical component of the prestressing
force is not added to Vcr.
Maximum Permissible Shear Stress

To check the crushing of concrete in shear compression failure, the shear stress is
limited to a maximum value (c,max).

The value of c,max depends on the grade of

concrete and is given in Table 7 of IS:1343 - 1980.

Vu
c,max
bdt

In the previous expression,

dt = greater of dp or ds
dp = depth of CGS from the extreme compression fiber
ds = depth of centroid of regular steel
Vu = shear force at a section due to ultimate loads.

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Prestressed Concrete Structures

Dr. Amlan K Sengupta and Prof. Devdas Menon

c, max (N/mm )

0
30

40

50

60

f ck (N/mm )

Figure 5-2.5

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Variation of maximum permissible shear stress in concrete