Dr. Mohammed E.

Haque, PE
Shear Design
Page 1 of 6

DESIGN FOR SHEAR


Max. Shear due to loads, V
u
Design Shear Capacity, V
n


Where = 0.75


Design Shear Capacity, V
n
= [Design Shear strength of concrete, V
c
+ Design
Shear strength of reinforcement, V
s
]

V
n
= V
c
+ V
s


Therefore, V
u
[ V
c
+ V
s
]

Shear force that concrete can resist without web reinforcement , V
c


(ACI Eq. 11.3) V
c
= 2 f
c
(b
w
x d )

where f
c
is in psi; b
w
and d are in inches



Section 1-1
d
1
d
V
u

1
45
0
b
w

Fig. 1
Dr. Mohammed E. Haque, PE
Shear Design
Page 2 of 6







V
s
= A
v
x f
y
x n

V
s
= A
v
x f
y
x d/s (ACI Eq.11-15)

s = A
v
x f
y
x d / V
s


where A
v
= cross-sectional area of each stirrup has crossed the crack

V
u

45
0
Number of stirrups
crossing the crack,
n = d / s
d
s
A
v
= 2 times the cross-sectional area of
the stirrup bar.
A
v
= 3 times the cross-sectional area of
the stirrup bar.
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Dr. Mohammed E. Haque, PE
Shear Design
Page 3 of 6


Known: f
c
, f
y
, d, b
w
and V
u

= 0.75
V
c
= 2f
c
'. b
w
d
= 1 for normal weight
concrete; 0.85 for
sand-lightweight
concrete; 0.75 for all
lightweight concrete
V
s
= [V
u
- V
c
]
8f
c
'. b
w
d < [V
s
]
Yes
Section should be
enlarged.
No
No shear
reinforcement is
necessary
No
V
u
> 0.5 V
c

Yes
V
u
> V
c

Yes
S = A
v
f
y
d /[V
u
- V
c
]
S must be
S d/2 24 in

If [V
u
- V
c
] > 4f
c
'. b
w
d
S d/4
No
S is smaller of the two:
S = A
v
f
y
/[50 b
w
]
S = A
v
f
y
/[ 0.75f
c
' . b
w
]

S must be
S d/2 24 in

Draw the beam and show
reinforcement and spacing
Fig. 4 Flow Chart
Vertical Shear Reinforcement Design
(Dr. Mohammed E. Haque, P.E.)
Determine
required spacing
of vertical U
stirrups based on
V
s

Determine spacing of
vertical U stirrups based
on minimum shear
reinforcement
Dr. Mohammed E. Haque, PE
Shear Design Page 4 of 6

R
A
= w
u
x L /2
C.L. of Symmetry
R
B
= w
u
x L /2
A
B
w
u

L
d
b
w
A
A
Section A-A
d
Support
width = w
1

d + 0.5 w
1
V
u
at Critical Section
R
A

0.5L
V
u

V
u
- V
c

V
c

Shear carried by
stirrups V
s
Shear reinforcement required
Minimum Shear reinforcement
Shear reinforcement
not required
Shear carried by
concrete V
c

0.5 V
c

Fig. 5 Shear Reinforcement requirements
Dr. Mohammed E. Haque, PE
Shear Design Page 5 of 6

Summary (Vertical Stirrup or Web Reinforcement Design)

1. Draw Shear, V
u
Diagram (Fig. 5)
2. Calculate V
u
at a distance d from the face of support
3. On the Vu diagram, identify locations where (1) Shear Reinforcement required, (2) where shear
reinforcement not required, (3) where shear carried by stirrups, V
s
, and (4) where minimum shear
reinforcement required (Shear carried by concrete, V
c
). [Note: SEE Fig. 5]

4. Calculate V
c
= 2 f
c
(b
w
x d), where
= 0.75;
= 1 for normal weight concrete; 0.85 for sand-lightweight concrete; 0.75 for all lightweight concrete.

5. Calculate V
s
= [V
u
- V
c
]
Check: If 8f
c
'. b
w
d < [V
s
], then SECTION SHOULD BE ENLARGED [STOP AT THIS STEP]

6. No Stirrups are needed if V
u
< 0.5 V
c

DESIGN STIRRUPS
7. Determine required spacing of vertical U stirrups based on V
s

Calculate theoretical stirrup spacing, S = A
v
x f
y
x d / [V
u
- V
c
]
S must satisfy
S d/2 24 inch
If [V
u
- V
c
] > 4f
c
'. b
w
d Then S d/4

Dr. Mohammed E. Haque, PE
Shear Design Page 6 of 6



8. Determine spacing of vertical U stirrups based on minimum shear reinforcement.
S is smaller of the two:

S = A
v
f
y
/[50 b
w
]

S = A
v
f
y
/[ 0.75f
c
' . b
w
]

S must satisfy
S d/2 24 inch

9. Minimum practical stirrup spacing is 3 to 4 inches.
10. Draw the beam and show the shear reinforcements and spacing.