Chapter 1

Deep Beams & Corbels

1
1.1 Introduction
The behavior of deep beams and Corbels (brackets) is
significantly different from that of beams of normal
proportion (shallow beams) that it requires special
consideration in analysis, design and detailing of
reinforcements.

In deep beams and corbels, plane section before bending

does not remain plane after bending.

Deep beams occur at transfer girders used in multistory

buildings, rectangular suspended containers (tanks), raft
slabs, pile caps, shear walls etc.

2
Transfer Girder
Silo Side Wall
Raft Foundation
Beam

3
4
• Deep beams have large depth to span ratio.
• According to the EBCS 2 1995, beams are considered as
deep beams when;

2.0
≤
ℎ 2.5
Where:
= effective span
ℎ = overall depth of the deep

≤
1.15 ∗
5
1.2 Behavior of Deep Beams & Corbels
• Elastic analysis of Deep beams indicates that the usual
hypothesis plane section before bending remains plane
after bending is not valid for such members.
• Determining the strength of such beams is not similar
to ordinary beams. P

Ordinary Beam
Deep Beam
6
 Ordinary Beams Vs Deep Beams
Ordinary Beams Deep Beams
One Dimensional Action Two-Dimensional Action
Plane Section Remain Plane Plane Section Do Not Remain Plane
Strain Distribution is linear after Strain Distribution is not linear after
bending (Stress Distribution is linear bending (Stress Distribution is not
in elastic stage) linear even in the elastic stage)
Shear Deformation can be neglected Shear Deformation can not be
neglected!
Concrete Compressive stress block is Concrete Compressive stress block is
parabolic not parabolic
The distribution of tensile stress at
bottom fiber is constant over the span
The maximum tensile stress at the
bottom fiber is far exceeding the
magnitude of compressive stress.
7
 a) Stress distribution for
deep beam at mid span
and quarter span

c) ULS Stress
b) ULS Stress distribution
distribution for deep beam
for normal beam 8
1.3 Design of Deep Beams

Two methods are used to design deep beams namely:

a. Empirical Method
b. Strut & Tie Model Method (STM)

9
A. Empirical Method
Design For Flexure
Tension zone become relatively much smaller in deep
beams and main flexural reinforcement should be
placed in this lower zone.
The area of steel required to carry the tension is
determined by the empirical method of assuming a
value for the lever arm Z.
For simple span deep beams:

0.2 + 2ℎ , 1≤ ≤ 2.0
= ℎ
0.6 , < 1.0
ℎ 10
For multiple (continuous) span deep beams : (Both Negative
& Positive Moments)

0.2 + 1.5ℎ , 1≤ ≤ 2.5

= ℎ
0.5 , < 1.0
ℎ

Theory, confirmed by tests, indicate that the flexural

strength can be predicted with sufficient accuracy using the
same methods employed for beams with normal depths as
follows;

= =

=
11
Detailing of reinforcements – Deep Beams
 All positive bars should extend through the span
without curtailment beyond the supports and
preferably bent upwards at the ends to obtain
adequate embedment and anchorage.
 Half the negative bars over the support should
extend over full length of adjacent spans. The other
half can be stopped at a distance of 0.4 or 0.4 ,
whichever is smaller, from the edge of the support.
Flexural reinforcements are uniformly placed using
relatively small size bars over a vertical distance of
( = 0.25 -0.05 ) for positive bending moment,
where the vertical distance is measured from bottom
extreme face of the cross section.
12
ℎ

Positive Reinforcements

= 0.25ℎ − 0.
=

Fig Distribution of Positive reinforcements in simple span beams 13

Negative bars are uniformly distributed in to two bands in such a
way that In upper band for a distance of 0.2 from extreme face
of the cross section as:
= 0.5 −1
and in lower band with a depth of 0.6 below upper band
= −
The geometrical ratio of reinforcement ρ at any section of a beam
where positive reinforcements is required by analysis shall not be
less than:
0.6 0.6
= & , =

Where is in Mpa
To supplement the main reinforcement, one layer of mesh
reinforcement shall be provided near each face of the deep
beams as:
0.3
, = & ≤
300 14
 = 0.2ℎ

= 0.6ℎ
ℎ

= +

= 0.25ℎ − 0.
=

Fig : Distribution of negative reinforcements in continuous beams 15

 Design for Shear
These provisions apply to:
a) Shear Spans supporting a principal load located at a
distance : where ≤
b) Shear spans not supporting a principal load or
portions of beams supporting uniform loads in which
the distance ≤ : Where is the distance
between the points of zero shear and the support.
• Principal load is a concentrated load, which causes 50%
or more the shear at the support of that shear span.

≤
1.15 ∗
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The critical shear shall be computed at / for
supporting principal loads and at / for other shear spans
not supporting principal load or for supporting uniform load
and the shear reinforcement required at this section shall
be used through out the entire shear span.
The shear resistance of deep beams shall be taken as the
sum of the resistances of the concrete and the vertical
and horizontal stirrups and , respectively, and the
applied shear, , shall not exceed the limit .
≤ = 0.25
• Shear Resisted by Concrete:
= ∗ 0.25
Where:
2
β= ≥ 1, = + ≤ . & = . − ≥ .
17
• Shear Resisted by Vertical Stirrups ( ):

−
= ≤

• Shear Resisted by Vertical Stirrups ( ):

−
= ≤

= + +
and shall satisfy the minimum requirements

Where:

= area of vertical stirrups = Spacing of vertical stirrups ( ≤ / )

= area of horizontal stirrups = Spacing of Horizontal Stirrups ( ≤ / )

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 ≤
1.15 ∗

For uniform loads or loads other than principal loads

should be replaced by

≤
1.15 ∗

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Checking & against Minimum Requirements
• Minimum shear reinforcement:
0.4
=

0.4 0.4
, = & , =

2
= 0. ≤ ≤
3
2
= 0.3 ≤ 2 >
3
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 B. Strut & Tie Model Method
Structural members may be divided into Two portions:
• B-Regions: in which beam theory applies, including linear
strains and so on, and
• D-regions: adjacent to discontinuities or disturbances, where
beam theory does not apply. (geometric discontinuities,
adjacent to holes, abrupt changes in cross section, and in
regions near concentrated loads and reactions.
• Saint Venant’s Principle suggests that the localized effect of
disturbance will dissipate out by about one member depth
from the point of the disturbance. According to this, D-
regions are assumed to extend one member depth each way
from the discontinuity. 21
 STM–Very
Important for
Shear-Critical
concrete
structures and
disturbed
(discontinuity)
regions.

Fig. division of
structures to B and
D-regions

22
Components of the STM
• Diagonal compression struts is an idealization of some
part of the beam concrete as a compression member.
• Tie is a tension member within the STM that consists of
reinforcements.
• Nodes are points within the STM where the axis of
strut, ties and concentrated loads intersect
The most common types of struts utilized in design are:
1. The simplest type is the “prism type” which has a
constant width that is prismatic strut.
2. The second type is the “bottle type ” in which the strut
expands or contracts across its length
3. The final type is the “fan type” where an array of struts
with varying inclination meets at or radiate from a single
node.
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a) Prism strut b) bottled strut

c) fan (tapered)
strut

Fig 1.5 Types of struts 24

 C-C-C Node

C-C-T Node
C-C-T Node

Fig. strut and tie model of deep beam subjected

to concentrated load at mid span
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The strut and tie model shown above may fail in one of
the four ways
1. The tie could yield
2. One of the struts could crush when the stress in the
strut exceed
3. A node could fail by being subjected to stresses that
are greater than its effective compressive strength; this
involves a bearing failure at the loads or reactions.
4. The anchorage of the tie could fail.

Because a tension failure of the steel will be more

ductile than either a strut failure or a node failure, the
beam should be proportioned so that the strength of
the steel governs.

26
27
ACI Design provisions for STM
• Design using a strut and tie model requires that:

Where:
= factored force acting in strut, tie, bearing area or
nodal zone
= nominal capacity of strut, tie or nodal zone
= strength reduction factor
= 0.75 is used for struts, ties, nodal zones, and
bearing areas
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 a) Strength of Struts
Nominal compressive strength of strut
=

Where:
= 0.85

values for strut strength

Strut with uniform x-section over its entire length = 1.0
Strut with width of mid-section larger than the = 0.75
width of nodes as bottled with reinforcement bar
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 b) Strength of Nodes
Nominal compressive strength of nodal zone is given by:
=
Where:
= 0.85
values for node strength
In nodal zones bounded by struts or bearing
= 1.0
areas, or both (C-C-C node)
In nodal zones anchoring a tie in one direction = 0.8
(C-C-T node)
In nodal zones anchoring two or more ties ( C-T-T = 0.6
or T-T-T node)
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C) Strength of Ties
Nominal strength of ties is the sum of strength of steel
reinforcement and that of pre-stressing steel within the tie if
available and is given by:
= + +Δ
If only steel reinforcement are used, the equation becomes:
=
The area of main reinforcement required would be:

Where:
= factored force acting on tie = the yield strength of steel
= strength reduction factor = 0.75
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Shear Reinforcements
In the ACI 318 code for concrete
strengths not exceeding 40Mpa,
the requirement for transverse
reinforcement is considered to be
satisfied if the axis of the strut
being crossed by layers of
reinforcement satisfies the
following equation.

≥ 0.003

Where
= the total area of
reinforcements at spacing in a
layer of reinforcement at an
angle to the axis of the strut.

Fig 1.7 crack control reinforcement crossing a strut 32

The minimum web reinforcements recommended by ACI
code are:
, = 0.0025
, = 0.0015
Where:
A , = minimum vertical stirrups
A , = minimum horizontal stirrups
b = width of beam
S = spacing of vertical stirrups
S = spacing of horizontal stirrups

The maximum spacing of shear reinforcement is:

S ≤ 5 S ≤ 3
300 500
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In the layout of STM, ties consist of reinforcement plus a
prism of concrete surrounding the tie is called the
effective width of the tie The lower limit is twice the
distance from the surface of the concrete to the centroid
of the tie reinforcement.
, =2 ′
The upper limit for effective tie width is taken as:

, ≤

The following figures are some examples of strut and tie

model for different loadings

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a)

b)

Fig 1.8. Strut and tie model for deep

beam subjected to a) concentrated load
at mid span, b) uniform load and c)
c) two concentrated loading on the third
points. 35
 1.4 Brackets and Corbels
• A Corbel (Bracket) is a short member that cantilevers
out from a column or wall to support a load usually
with shear span ( ) / depth ( ) ratio of less than
1.0.
• To Support precast beams at the columns
• Total safety of structures depends on the ability of
the corbels to transfer the load safely to columns.
• Steel bearing plates or angles are commonly used in
the top surface of the brackets to provide a uniform
contact surface and distribute the reaction.
• In corbels, a large horizontal force develops due to
shrinkage and creep of the supported elements such
as beams that are connected to the corbels
36
37
 Corbels display
several typical modes
of failure, the most
common are;
 Flexural tension
failure
 Diagonal splitting
 Horizontal tension
and shear failure
 Bearing failure due
to large concentrated
load(crushing due to
bearing)

Fig Corbel
38
39
Design of corbels
(1) Corbels with . ≤ ≤ may be designed using a
simple strut and tie model.

(2) Corbels for which > may be designed as

cantilever beams (Hunched Beams – Chapter 2).

(3) Unless special provision is made to limit horizontal

forces on the support, or other justification is given, the
corbel shall be designed for the vertical force and a
horizontal force = . acting at the bearing area.

40
Consider the corbel element shown below under F and internal
forces developed due to such action.
∑ =0
= =
=

= … . . (1)

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 ∑ =0
= =
∗
= & = −
∗ 2

= … … … (2)
−
2
Substituting ‘ ’ from (1) in equation (2) and simplifying :

2
= 1−

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• Moreover, the additional bars to resist the tensile
component of the force caused by , maybe
computed using:
= ≥ 0.25

The total steel area required at the top of the corbel is:
= + ≥ , = 0.004
• In addition, to resist the horizontal shear, it is
recommended by codes to provide additional
reinforcement in the upper two – third of the effective
depth in the form of closed hoop stirrups parallel to
having an area such that:
≥ 0.5( − )
43
 In corbel with ℎ ≥ 300 , when the area of the Primary
horizontal tie is such that:
0.4
≥

Where is the sectional area of the concrete in the corbel at the

column, then closed stirrups, having a total area not less than 0.4
should be distributed over the effective depth in order to cater for
splitting stresses in the concrete strut. They can be placed either
horizontally or inclined (See EBCS 2-1995 Page-88).

Check for Bearing stress

• The bearing stress should satisfy, ≤ 0.4 , where is the cube
strength of concrete

= ≤ 0.4

44