New strut-and-tie-models for shear strength prediction and design of RC deep beams

Reinforced concrete deep beams are structural beams with low shear span-to-depth ratio, and hence in which the strain distribution is significantly nonlinear and the conventional beam theory is not applicable. A strut-and-tie model is considered one of the most rational and simplest methods available for shear strength prediction and design of deep beams. The strut-and-tie model approach describes the shear failure of a deep beam using diagonal strut and truss mechanism: The diagonal strut mechanism represents compression stress fields that develop in the concrete web between diagonal cracks of the concrete while the truss mechanism accounts for the contributions of the horizontal and vertical web reinforcements. Based on a database of 406 experimental observations, this paper proposes a new strut-and-tie-model for accurate prediction of shear strength of reinforced concrete deep beams, and further improves the model by correcting the bias and quantifying the scatter using a Bayesian parameter estimation method. Seven existing deterministic models from design codes and the literature are compared with the proposed method. Finally, a limit-state design formula and the corresponding reduction factor are developed for the proposed strut-and-tie model.