Verulam

Since the literature does not seem to report a direct method of calculating transverse tensile, or splitting, stresses in concrete flanges of composite beams, many design codes require the calculation of the shear strength of the flanges at their junction with the web. By using elementary concepts of the strength of materials, a direct method has been developed for calculating the splitting stresses. The validity of the proposed method has been established with the help of finite element results, as well as those obtained from a test on a physical model. L. G. Jaeger, PhD, DSc, FRSE, FCSCE, PEng JMBT Structures Research Inc., Halifax, Canada B. Bakht, DSc, FCSCE, PEng JMBT Structures Research Inc., Toronto, Canada

Ten tests were made on slabs with various forms of shear reinforcement used to increase punching resistance. Comparisons with predictions using current codes of practice show shortcomings in present design methods and proposals are made for a modified approach. This approach is compared with a wide range of test data and shown to be satisfactory. Professor P.E. Regan, BSc (Eng), DIC, PhD, CEng, FIStructE F. Samadian, BSc (Eng), MSc, Dipl.Mang., PhD, MIES