Shear strength model for reinforced concrete corbels based on panel response

Reinforced concrete corbels are generally used to transfer loads within a structural system, such as buildings, bridges, and facilities in general. They commonly present low aspect ratio, requiring an accurate model for shear strength prediction in order to promote flexural behavior. The model described here, originally developed for walls, was adapted for corbels. The model is based on a reinforced concrete panel, described by constitutive laws for concrete and steel and applied in a fixed direction. Equilibrium in the orthogonal direction to the shearing force allows for the estimation of the shear stress versus strain response. The original model yielded conservative results with important scatter, thus various modifications were implemented in order to improve strength predictions: 1) recalibration of the strut (crack) direction, capturing the absence of transverse reinforcement and axial load in most corbels, 2) inclusion of main (boundary) reinforcement in the equilibrium equation, capturing its participation in the mechanism, and 3) decrease in aspect ratio by considering the width of the loading plate in the formulation. To analyze the behavior of the theoretical model, a database of 109 specimens available in the literature was collected. The model yielded an average model-to-test shear strength ratio of 0.98 and a coefficient of variation of 0.16, showing also that most test variables are well captured with the model, and providing better results than the original model. The model strength prediction is compared with other models in the literature, resulting in one of the most accurate estimates.