Design Provisions and Structural Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Deep Beams

Abstract

Reinforced concrete (RC) remains a fundamental material in structural engineering due to its strength, durability, and versatility in diverse applications. Design provisions for RC elements have evolved significantly, particularly in enhancing the reliability of static load-bearing performance. This paper investigates the application of the Strut-and-Tie Model (STM) as outlined in major design codes from Canada, the United States, and Europe for reinforced concrete deep beams. The study analyzes over 300 experimental test results to assess the accuracy of these codes in predicting ultimate strength and failure modes. The results indicate that while the Canadian code generally provides more conservative strength estimates, none of the codes reliably predict the actual failure modes or their locations. In addition, the study examines the influence of parameters such as shear span-to-depth ratio, web reinforcement, and concrete compressive strength on the predicted ca-pacities using STM-based approaches.