Limit State of Collapse in Shear – Design for Shear

Cl.40, p-72, IS:456-2000

R.C. Members are normally designed for the limit state of collapse in flexure rather
than in shear. Shear failure, which in reality, occurs under the combined action of shearing
forces & bending moments is characterized by very small deflection and lack of ductility.
This failure is many times sudden and without any warning. For this reason, the shear failure
is considered very undesirable and is usually avoided. The code provisions for shear are,
therefore more conservative as compared to bending. Bending is usually accompanied by
bending shear. Shear stress thus produced is accompanied by diagonal tension and
compression as shown in figure.

As concrete is weak in tension, large diagonal tension stresses can produce cracking
and even failure of the concrete members. Hence, beam should always be checked for safety
against shear failure in physical terms against diagonal tension and compression failures. If
the shear stress is large, steel in the form of vertical stirrups or bent up bars should be
provided to take up the tensile stresses. Bending shear is sometimes referred to as one way
shear. This chapter gives the method of design of beams for bending shear.

Types of Shear Failure:

Types of Shear Reinforcement:

Types of steel reinforcement that can be provided to resist diagonal tension are,
a system of vertical stirrups
a system of inclined stirrups placed at right angles to the diagonal cracks
main tension steel is bent up and placed as described in above point

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 Of these, the vertical stirrups and bent up main steel rods are most commonly used in
practice. While bent up bars are good in restricting crack width, the stirrups help the
longitudinal tension steel to maintain dowel action.

From, over all consideration, vertical stirrups are superior to inclined bars. Indian
code do not recommend that all the shear to be taken by bent up bars only. At least 50% of
the shear should be provided for by stirrups according to IS:456-2000. A combination of
links and bent up bars is much superior to using either links or bent up bars only.

Design for Shear:

Due to shear stresses, there are cracks in concrete perpendicular to the diagonal
tension. As the load increases, these cracks move upward. Most of the cracks stop when they
reach heavily stressed region of compression zone. If there is a further increase of load, a
critical diagonal crack may tear through the beam. As a result, the beam splits into tow
sections and a sudden brittle failure occurs. Thus, the diagonal tension failure occurs without
giving notice and may cause the beam to collapse completely. Therefore, a beam shall be
suitably reinforced along the diagonal tension i.e. across the crack.

In a R.C. beam, concrete & steel both are resist the shear load.
So, Total Design Shear Force = S.F. Resisted by Concrete + S.F. Resisted by Steel
VU = VUC + VUS = C * b* d + VUS

[A] Design Shear Strength of Concrete:

Nominal Shear Stress V = VU / bd For Beams having uniform depth

Design Shear Stress C Refer T-19, p-73 of IS:456-2000 w/o shear R/F
Maximum Design Shear Stress CMAX Refer T-20, p-73 of IS:456-2000 with shear R/F

Where, VU = Total S.F. due to applied loads

VUC = C * b * d = shear capacity of concrete with out reinforcement
VUS = strength of shear reinforcement
b = width of beam & d = effective depth of beam

For any section, if nominal shear stress (V) exceeds the maximum shear stress
value (CMAX), the section shall be redesigned either by using richer concrete mix or by
increasing the size of section.

[B] Design Shear Strength of Steele:

Shear reinforcement shall be designed to resist a shear force VUS (VUS=VU-VUC).

Considering a simplified view, as the concrete is weak in tension, the shear failure is caused
by diagonal tension with cracks running at 45o to the beam axis. The shear reinforcement
shall be provided by reinforcement which cross the cracks. The provision of shear
reinforcement is made by any of the following forms:

[B1] For Vertical Stirrups- (cl. 40.4a, p-73, IS:456-2000)

0.87 * fy * Asv * d
VUS =
Sv

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 [B2] For Inclined Stirrups- (cl. 40.4b, p-73, IS:456-2000)

0.87 * fy * Asv * d
VUS = * (sin  + cos )
Sv

[B3] For Bent Up Bars- (cl. 40.4c, p-73, IS:456-2000)

VUS = 0.87 * fy * Asv * sin 

Where, fy = characteristic strength of the stirrup or bent up reinforcement which shall

not be taken greater than 415 N/mm2
b = breadth of the member which for flanged beam shall be taken as the
breadth of the web bw
d = effective depth of beam
 = angle between the inclined stirrups or bent up bar and the axis of the
Member, not less than 45o
SV = spacing of the stirrups or bent up bars along the length of the member
ASV = total cross sectional area of stirrups legs or bent up bars

Minimum Shear Reinforcement: (Cl.26.5.1.6 p-48, IS:456-2000)

When V < C , at that time minimum shear reinforcement is required.

0.87 * fy * Asv
SV <=
0.40 * b

And when V > C , shear design is required.

And when V < C / 2 , minimum shear reinforcement need not be complied

Maximum Shear Reinforcement: (Cl.26.5.1.5 p-47, IS:456-2000)

1) > 0.75 * d for vertical stirrups, where d = effective depth of beam

2) > d for inclined stirrups at 45o, where d = effective depth of beam
3) > 300mm in any case

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 Type of Problem1: Design the Shear Reinforcement
Data Given: Grade of Concrete & Steel (fck & fy), Size of beam (width & effective depth
or total depth), Reinforcement of beam (Preferably Tensile Reinforcement), &
shear load or shear force VU (factored or characteristic)
Data to be Determined: Spacing of shear reinforcement SV
Steps:
i) Take a factored shear force, if characteristic S.F. is given then multiply with 1.50
ii) Determine Nominal Shear Stress V, V = VU / bd
iii) Determine Design Shear Stress C ,
As
Find the value of 100 * & Refer T-19, p-73 of IS:456-2000 & Find C
b*d
Where, As = Area of Tensile Reinforcement in a beam
iv) Determine Maximum Design Shear Stress CMAX Refer T-20, p-73 of IS:456-2000
v) If, V > CMAX, the section shall be redesigned either by using richer concrete mix
or by increasing the size of section.
vi) If, V < C / 2 , minimum shear reinforcement need not be complied
For this, SV > 0.75 * d, for vertical stirrups, where d=eff. depth of beam
> 300mm
Take a least value, out of two.
vii) If, V < C , minimum shear reinforcement is required
For this, SV > 0.75 * d, for vertical stirrups, where d=eff. depth of beam
> 300mm
0.87 * fy * Asv
>
0.40 * b
Take a least value, out of three.
Where, Asv = total cross sectional area of stirrups legs or bent up bars
π*d
e.g. If, 8mm dia. 2-legged vertical stirrups are used then Asv = 2 *
4

π*d
If, 8mm dia. 4-legged vertical stirrups are used then Asv = 4 *
4
viii) If, V > C , shear reinforcement design is required
For this, SV > 0.75 * d, for vertical stirrups, where d=eff. depth of beam
> d, for Inclined stirrups at 45o, where d = eff. depth of beam
> 300mm
0.87 * fy * Asv
>
0.40 * b

0.87 * fy * Asv * d
> , If Vertical Stirrups are used
Vus

0.87 * fy * Asv * d
> * (sin  + cos ), If Inclined Stirrups
Vus

Take a least value, out of four.

Note: Grade of the steel of reinforcement for the stirrups must be equal to or less than the
grade of the steel of main reinforcement (Tension Reinforcement) of a beam.

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Type of Problem2: Determine the Shear Capacity of the Beam Section
Data Given: Grade of Concrete & Steel (fck & fy), Size of beam (width & effective depth
or total depth), Reinforcement of beam (Preferably Tensile Reinforcement), &
details of stirrups (Vertical, Inclined or Bent up)
Data to be Determined: Design Shear Load or Shear Force VU
Steps:
i) Determine Design Shear Stress C ,
As
Find the value of 100 * & Refer T-19, p-73 of IS:456-2000 & Find C
b*d
ii) Determine shear capacity of the concrete VUC, VUC = C * b * d
iii) Determine shear capacity of the steel reinforcement VUS,
0.87 * fy * Asv * d
VUS = If, Vertical Stirrups are used
Sv

0.87 * fy * Asv * d
VUS = * (sin  + cos ) If, Inclined Stirrups are used
Sv
iv) Determine the design shear load or force VU, VU = VUC + VUS

Type of Problem3: Design the Shear Reinforcement throughout the span of a Simply
Supported Beam, at the support & at the span (Critical Section for Shear)
Data Given: Grade of Concrete & Steel (fck & fy), Size of beam (width & effective depth
or total depth), Reinforcement of beam (Preferably Tensile Reinforcement),
span of beam or clear distance between two support, support details of the
beam & loading on the beam
Data to be Determined: Spacing of shear reinforcement SV
Steps:
Determine the designed shear force VU, at the support i.e. support reaction.
Determine the designed shear force VU, at a distance ‘d’ (eff. depth of beam) from the
face of the support
For the design of stirrups at supports, take a value of support reaction as a VU
For the design of stirrups at span, take a value of VU at a distance ‘d’ (eff. depth of
beam) from the face of the support
The following design steps should be follow for the design of stirrups at the support
as well as at the span.

i) Determine Nominal Shear Stress V, V = VU / bd

ii) Determine Design Shear Stress C ,
As
Find the value of 100 * & Refer T-19, p-73 of IS:456-2000 & Find C
b*d
Where, As = Area of Tensile Reinforcement in a beam
iii) Determine Maximum Design Shear Stress CMAX Refer T-20, p-73 of IS:456-2000
iv) If, V > CMAX, the section shall be redesigned either by using richer concrete mix
or by increasing the size of section.
v) If, V < C / 2 , minimum shear reinforcement need not be complied
For this, SV > 0.75 * d, for vertical stirrups, where d=eff. depth of beam
> 300mm
Take a least value, out of two.

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vi) If, V < C , minimum shear reinforcement is required
For this, SV > 0.75 * d, for vertical stirrups, where d=eff. depth of beam
> 300mm
0.87 * fy * Asv
>
0.40 * b
Take a least value, out of three.
Where, Asv = total cross sectional area of stirrups legs or bent up bars
π*d
e.g. If, 8mm dia. 2-legged vertical stirrups are used then Asv = 2 *
4

π*d
If, 8mm dia. 4-legged vertical stirrups are used then Asv = 4 *
4
vii) If, V > C , shear reinforcement design is required
For this, SV > 0.75 * d, for vertical stirrups, where d=eff. depth of beam
> d, for Inclined stirrups at 45o, where d = eff. depth of beam
> 300mm
0.87 * fy * Asv
>
0.40 * b

0.87 * fy * Asv * d
> , If Vertical Stirrups are used
Vus

Take a least value, out of four.

viii) Draw the longitudinal section and cross section of the beam which showing the
details of stirrups with spacing, nos., diameter of bar used, type & legged.