·.~
by Himat Solanki and Gajanan M. Sabnis
Various methods are used in designing reinforced concrete brackets. 2. Local effects such as those caused by reactions and
This paper demonstrates the simplifications of truss analogy. A sum- loads are neglected.
mary of previous work is reviewed. The proposed method was devel-
oped using a simplified approach with truss analogy. Test series of 16
3. Equilibrium condition must be fulfilled.
investigations are analyzed and calculated according to the proposed 4. Failure occurs due to crushing of concrete or
method. Two examples demonstrate the recommended design proce- yielding of steel.
dure. Some recommendations for the detailing are also discussed. 5. The tensile strength of concrete is neglected.
6. The concrete strength is assumed equal to the cyl-
Keywords: brackets; corbels; detailing; reinforced concrete; structural design;
inder strength, and the maximum strain in the concrete
theories. is equal to 0.003.
7. The mathematical mode must comply with the ge-
ometry of the member; this applies particularly to the
The load-carrying capacity of reinforced concrete
reinforcement and its anchoring.
corbels may be calculated by several methods. They in-
It should be noted that most of the above assump-
clude the shear-friction approach, 14 the truss analogy ,S· 9
tions are made in general analysis theory of reinforced
the geometrical method of force distribution, 10. 12 and
concrete structures (e.g., References 3 through 6); the
the theory of plasticity.ll· 15 The shear friction method is
other assumptions are essentially conservative in na-
adopted in the ACI Building Code 16 and is generally
ture.
used in the U.S., while the other methods are used in The state of forces at failure is shown in Fig. 1. This
the European countries. converts concrete into an inclined strut. The following
In the U.S., a traditional approach has been either equation of equilibrium then can be written
empirical or semi-empirical, consistent with large num-
bers of test results. On the other hand, a mathematical D·x= V,,·a+Nu·t:.h (1)
model describing the mechanism of the member has
more advantages. One can calculate the ultimate ca- where x = perpendicular distance of the force-inclined
pacity effectively and simply and also dimension and strut = 0.9adl../(0.9d)Z + a 2 (see Fig. 1) and D = as-
detail the member economically. sumed force of strut in compression and comes out to
In this paper a simplified, practical, and safe design be 0.25bd ({3J,_') based on References 17, 19, 20, and
approach is presented in calculating the ultimate load
21
capacity of reinforced concrete corbels. The results are
compared with the data obtained from 398 tests in 16 where b width of corbel
different investigations to indicate the effectiveness of d effective depth of corbel
this approach. compressive strength of concrete
fi
/31 multiplier of J: as in ACI 318-83
THEORY
The proposed structural model is based on the one by Equivalent rectangular concrete stress distribution as
Leonhardt and Monning 17 and simplified using Steinle's per the ACI Building Code is assumed. Accordingly, /3~
approach. 18 It is assumed that concrete acts as inclined shall be taken as 0.85 for strengths f' up to 4000 psi
lamellas between the cracks, transmitting only the
compression forces. Other assumptions made are as
Received June 9 1986 and reviewed under Institute publication policies.
follows: Copyright© 1987,'Amerlcan Concrete Institute. All rights reserve<;~. includin_g
1. Any shear transfer across the crack caused by the making of copies unless permission is obtained from the copynght propn-
etors. Pertinent discussion will be published in the July-August 1988 ACI
either aggregate interlock or dowel action is neglected. Structural Journal if received by Mar. I, 1988.
bd(f;)
-- =-
4.45 ( Nu flh)
I +- · - ..)(0.9)2 + (a/d) 2 (2)
V" {1, V" a
O."'d h d
Eq. (2) can be simplified by assuming fihla = 0.3
Eq. (4) is similar to the equation proposed by Fig. ]-Geometry, forces, and equilibrium conditions
Wommelsdorff2' and may be used to estimate the value (Reference 17)
of d.
Niedenhoff, 5 Mehmel and Becker, 7 and Steinle' 8 have
also proposed the following equations \
·~ 'I
-·-·- ~I!:F 7
I .
v- ----- ~r ~
2.8 (t + l!_)
I
bdf' = (Reference 7) (6)
I
I
V,, {1, d 10 I
I
I
\
bdf' 3.57 \
(Reference 18) (7) \
V,, {11 \,
the same value of aid; thereafter, the FIN curve gives "/4
a much lower value of a/d. Fig. 2-P/ot ofa/d versus f;bd/V"
ACI Structural Journal I September-October 1987 429
tistical analysis of these tests indicated the mean value d = 97,400 X 5.5
of 0.996, a variance of 0.109, standard error of 1.8 4000 X 14
percent, and standard deviation of 0.33.
= 9.6 in. (244 mm)
DESIGN EXAMPLE 1 (Reference 34)
V" = 97.4 kips (433 kN) .f' = 5000 psi (34.5 MPa) Used = 11 in. (279 mm)
34,000 - . 2 2
d h
Fig. 3(b)-lnclined shear reinforcement (Reference 10) Fig. 4- Tested ultimate load versus calculated load (t)
430 ACI Structural Journal I September-October 1987
a 200 mm (7.9 in.) e = 90 mm (3.5 in.) corbel. The front edge of this plate should not be ex-
tended beyond the center of curvature of the loop re-
b = 300 mm (11.8 in.) inforcement.
It is recommended that some reinforcement be used
J: bd
From Fig. 1, let - - 5.25
= in the compression zone. Area of such reinforcement
V,,
should not be less than 0.5 percent of the area of
d = _so_o_,o_o_o_x_5_.2_5 compression strut.
380 mm (15.0 in.)
23 X 300
CONCLUSIONS
Use 500 mm (19.7 in.) The proposed equation can be used to formulate a
general design approach covering the practical range of
a' .Ja2 + e2
.J202 + 92 = 21.93 em (8.6 in.)
500,000 X 21.93 17~ . .../..
A,=
. I ...
.'·fl....
0.85 (0.178)(50) 240
1378 mm 2 "" 1401 mm 2 (21.3 in. 2) 1..0
.';.
2
Al'lnin = 632 mm (9.8 in. in. )
2
.
12~
, ,, / /
DETAILING OF CORBEL
Detailing of the member is essential in anchoring the
reinforcement. 24 Adequate recommendations on detail- 100
.... . ..
. _,;..... .-·. _.
/ /
ing are given by Horacek 34 and Leonhardt and Mon- / ~ • /I"
ning.35
The anchorage of primary tension reinforcement may .J
<
1,)
,.., ..; .• /
·/ 'T't:~
•
F1IOOI'1•
12.EP" I
be a welded-on anchorage plate or a thick transverse /. ~ ~~F I W/...,TlfP_2UPA,
700 e
....
.,0 •
8
•
?00
..
"f~f'"ROM:
e REF ...,
zoo C!) ~EF 21
X fl.~ ... l)
• IZ.E.P" 2:~
c i!.!:.F .31
B tU:.F 27
100 4 51!~F 2-' (Q) WIDER COIZ&E:L 3 "TO 5 'TIMES p!AM.
OF MAIN BAR(SJ
(b) HAI:ItOIJ COR&~L