Shear design of circular concrete sections according to the EC2 truss model

Abstract

Shear design in Eurocode 2 is generally developed for rectangular sections or T-sections that have clearly defined tension reinforcement, concentrated in the cross-sectional tension zone, and an unambiguous width of compressed diagonals. In circular sections, which are also frequent in practice, the reinforcement is evenly distributed along the circumference of the section, while the width of the section changes continuously along the height. Several proposals for the shear design of circular sections can be found in the literature, based on a relatively limited experimental database, which generally provide different structural resistances. This paper aims to enable the practical application of the Eurocode 2 variable-angle truss model in the shear design of elements of circular cross-section, such as columns or piles. It is intended to make a correct interpretation of the truss model with no intention to propose an improved procedure in accordance with the available experimental results.