Title No.

62-69

Significance of Dowel Forces on

the Shear Failure of Rectangular
Reinforced Concrete Beams
Without Web Relntorcement
By D. N. ACHARYA and K. 0. KEMP

The neglect of the shear force on the longitudinal reinforcement (dowel

force) in reinforced concrete beams without shear reinforcement is ques-
tioned. Analysis of tests on simple rectangular beams shows that the as-
sumption of zero dowel force implies high stresses on the concrete at the
top of the di~gon~ I crack. It is suggested th~t the m~gnitude of the dowel
force and its point of action are important factors in deciding the mode of
shear failure of such beams.
Key words: beam; biaxial stress; cracking; diagonal tension; dowel force;
failure; mechanism; rectangular beam; reinforced concrete; research; shear
strength.

• FEw SUBJECTS IN THE FIELD OF concrete have received more attention

from research workers than the shear failure of reinforced concrete
beams, yet the problem remains intractable and the mechanism of shear
failure improperly understood. No attempt will be made here to re-
CQUnt this extensive previous work since excellent summaries of it have
been given by Hognestad 1 and by ACI-ASCE Committee 426.2 Much of
this previous work has been directed towards the development of em-
pirical or semi-empirical design formulas for the shear strength of
reinforced concrete beams. This type of approach was inevitable in the
absence of a physical understanding of the nature of shear failures. Re-
cently, however, research has been concentrated more on the develop-
ment of analytical methods of predicting the strength of beams under
combined bending and shear. The study of rectangular beams without
shear reinforcement has been selected as the simplest and most suitable
starting point.
Although there is some confusion in the terminology used for describ-
ing the different modes of shear failure in the extensive literature on
shear, most recent researchers have agreed that the modes of shear
failure can be classified under the three headings: (1) diagonal tension,

1265
'1266 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE October 1965

D. N. Acharya is assistant professor of •tructural engineering, Jorhat Engineerin~ College,

Assam, India. Mr. Acharyo was educated at the Indian Institute of Technology, and Imperial
College, University of London. He has worked •• research engineer at the Cement & Oon-
crete Association Laboratories, England and has recently completed a MSc (eng) thesis at Uni-
versity College, London, of which this paper forms a part.
K. 0. Kemp is lecturer in civil engineerin~, University College, London. His leeching
ond research interests are in the field of •tructur•l engineering, particularly in the limit
onolysis and decign of concrete •tructures.

(2) shear compression, and (3) end failures. In diagonal tension :fail-
ures the concrete compression zone :fails by cleavage along the line o:f
the diagonal crack and is accompanied by horizontal splitting at the
level of the reinforcement, though research workers differ in their
opinions on whether this splitting is a primary or a secondary cause of
failure. In shear compression failures the concrete compression zone at
the top of the diagonal crack is often much reduced in depth compared
to flexural failures and fails by crushing. All failures at the end of the
beam due to either end shearing, end tension or failure of the reinforce-
ment anchorage are referred to as end failures.
I:f the loading on the beam is such that a pure flexural zone exists,
then flexural failure can occur in this zone even after the development
of the diagonal crack in the shear span.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE SHEAR FORCE ON CRACKED SECTIONS

After the formation of the diagonal crack, the shear force at any ver-
tical section must be carried by the concrete above the crack and by the
longitudinal steel as indicated in Fig. 1. It appears to have become al-
most customary to assume that the shear force component on the longi-
tudinal steel, usually termed the dowel :force, is zero at failure. The
analytical treatments of Guralnick, 1 Bresler and Pister, 4 Walther" and
Jones 6 are all founded on this assumption. Its validity has been ques-
tioned by Ferguson 7 among others and it must be admitted that there
is little experimental evidence to support it. The most important is the
work carried out by Watstein and Mathey 8 which appears to show that
the dowel force, although large initially, falls off to zero near failure.
The authors do not consider this conclusion is general and their reasons
for this will be presented later in this paper.
For a simply supported beam under two-point loading, the bending
moment M1 and the shear force S 1 on the critical section 1-1 at the edge
of the loading plate will be, from Fig. 1:

Sr=W-D ....... (la)

M1 = Ctla1 = Wa-De ..................................... (lb)

 SIGNIFICANCE OF DOWELS ON SHEAR 1267

2
w
a I
(a-e)

Fig. I - Forces on the portion of the beam above the diagonal crack

If the dowel force D is assumed to be zero, the bending moment and

shear force on the concrete at the critical section 1-1 become:
......... (2a)
... (2b)

The bending moment is now equal to the bending moment in the pure
flexural zone and the compressive force C 1 produced by it acts on a
compression zone reduced in depth by the diagonal crack. In addition
the reduced compression zone is presumed to carry the whole of the
shear force W. Little interest appears to have been taken in the mag-
nitude of the bending and shear stresses resulting from an assumed zero
dowel force, but the reduced neutral axis depth suggests that these
could be very high. To study this point a series of rectangular beams
without shear reinforcement have been tested to destruction. Careful
measurements were made of the neutral axis depth at failure in the
critical section of the shear span and in the zone of pure flexure. These
tests and the deduction of the bending stresses on the failure section
assuming zero dowel force will be described next.

BEAM TESTS
The test beams were all of rectangular cross section and only longi-
tudinal tensile reinforcement was provided. The details of the beams
are record~d in Table 1. In each series of four beams the percentage of
1268 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE October 1965

steel was maintained constant and the shear span varied. Five such se-
ries were tested with varying widths, depths, and percentages of steel.
All the beams were tested under two-point loads applied to the top
surface, over a 38-in. span with 5 in. overhang at each end, except for
Series BRa which were of 44 in. span with 2 in. overhang.
The concrete was proportioned for a target cube strength of 6000 psi,
was of nominal 1:2:4 mix with a maximum aggregate size of % in. Con-
trol specimens in the form of 4-in. cubes for the compressive strength
and 6-in. cylinders for the tensile strength were cast with the beams.
The beams and control specimens were vibrated together on a vibrating
table and then stored in a curing tank for approximately 35 days before
testing. The cube strengths and tensile splitting strengths obtained are
recorded in Table 1.
The reinforcement used was plain round mild steel bars with the
measured yield stresses in simple tension recorded in Table 1. Stand-
ard hooks were formed at both ends of the reinforcing bars and 1f2 in.
diameter transverse bars welded to the longitudinal bars in the region
of the hooks for positioning during casting.
The beams were loaded on the top surface by a 20 ton hand operated
hydraulic jack via a load bridge and 2 in. long x 4 in. wide x % in. thick

,
14 gouges@~
w w
f

w
Fig. 2a- Typical beam details

Fig. 2b- Position of strain gages

 SIGNIFICANCE OF DOWELS ON SHEAR 1269

TABLE I - BEAM PROPERTIES

·-

b
Per- Yield
Effec- cent stress
tive Rein- rein- of Cube Tensile Shear
Depth, depth, force- force- steel, strength, strength, span,
Beam in. in. ment ment ksi psi psi in.
-
ER1b 4 6 4.75 2/ 1A2 in. 2.06 42.00 5340 392 12
ER2b 4 6 4.75 2/1,'2 in. 2.06 42.00 5750 435 9
ER3b 4 6 4.75 2/ 1Aa in. 2.C6 42.00 5040 376 6
ER4b 4 6 4.75 2/~2 in. 2.06 42.00 6200 387 8
AR1b 3 4 2.81 2/~8 in. 2.60 44.80 6580 399 12
AR2b 3 4 2.81 2/~8 in. 2.60 44.80 6850 480 11
AR3b 3 4 2.81 2/~8 in. 2.60 44.80 6200 405 9
AR4b 3 4 2.81 2/~8 in. 2.60 44.80 6140 346 6
BR5a 4 6 4.54 3/~2 in. 3.23 37.80 5720 386 12
BR6a 4 6 4.54 3/~2 in. 3.23 37.80 7150 515 12
BR7a 4 6 4.54 3/~2 in. 3.23 37.80 8300 470 9
BR8a 4 6 4.54 3/~2 in. 3.23 37.80 8240 510 6
DR1b 4 5 3.69 2/~8 in. 4.15 42.55 6920 402 9
DR2b 4 5 3.69 2/%~ in. 4.15 42.55 6760 425 6
DR3b 4 5 3.69 2/~8 in. 4.15 42.55 6540 508 12
DR4b 4 5 3.69 2/~8 in. 4.15 42.55 6550 400 6
ARia 3 4 2.70 2/~8 in. 7.57 42.55 6180 440 9
AR2a 3 4 2.70 2/~8 in. 7.57 42.55 7320 505 12
AR3a 3 4 2.70 2/~8 in. 7.57 42.55 6620 462 6
AR4a 3 4 2.70 2/~8 in. 7.57 42.55 7500 475 15

loading plates, the applied load being measured on a proving ring. Strain
readings on the concrete were taken at the positions shown in Fig. 2a
and 2b using a 2 in. strain gage. Readings were taken at every 1f4 ton
load increment up to failure, at each of the gage positions.

ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS ASSUMING ZERO DOWEL FORCE

The modes of failure and the ultimate shear force of the beams are
recorded in Table 2. The neutral axis depths k.d at the shear span edge
of the loading plate at failure, have been obtained graphically from the
measured strains in the compression zone which varied approximately
linearly with depth. The corresponding neutral axis depths in the zone
of pure flexure k 1d were similarly obtained and the two values are com-
pared for each beam in Table 2. The details of the strain readings and
the determination of k.d and k 1d are described in Reference 9. The re-
sults show clearly that the effect of the diagonal crack is to reduce
significantly the depth of the compression zone.
To determine the flexural compressive force at the shear span edge
of the loading plate, the lever arm depths are required and these were
calculated from la 1 = d- k 2 k.d, where k.d is the experimental neutral
axis depth and:

k2 = 0.5- 10~~00
Assuming zero dowel force the average compressive flexural stresses
a, and the average shear stresses tc at the shear span edge of the loading
1270 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE October 1965

plate have been calculated from:

Wa Wa

'tc == w
bksd

These calculated values of oc and 'tc are recorded in Columns 6 and 7

of Table 2. Since the strain diagrams were triangular in shape, the
maximum nondimensional bending stresses will be assumed to be given
by dividing the average stresses oc by k1 kafc', where

k!ka = 3040 + 0.213 Cu

3200 0.78c,. +
and the cylinder strength fc' has been assumed throughout to be equal
to 0.777c"' The ratios oc/k 1 k 3fc' are recorded in Column 8 of Table 2 and
the nondimensional average shear stresses cc/fc' in Column 9.

FAILURE CRITERION
The question must now be posed whether or not the flexural compres-
sive and shear stresses in Columns 8 and 9 of Table 2, supposedly acting
on the concrete at failure are possible. For the case of uniaxial com-
pression and shear Bresler and Pister 4 have suggested a failure locus
in which the maximum compressive stress is fc', and the maximum
shear stress is 0.156fc' which occurs with a normal compressive stress of

TABLE 2 - BENDING AND SHEAR

STRESSES ASSUMING ZERO DOWEL FORCE
~

~-~-5
1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10
w
at Type
failure, k..d, d, la, CT<, rc, of
Beam kips in. n. in. psi psi
- "' -
-
k1k\fo'
T<
·v failure
- - - -- - - - - - -
ER1b 5.50 0.600 1.500 4.482 6150 2290 2.02 0.56 Diagonal tension
ER2b 8.50 0.625 1.750 4.472 6850 3400 2.14 0.77 Diagonal tension or
shear compression
ER3b 13.68 0.988 1.025 4.305 4800 3460 1.65 0.88 End anchorage
ER4b 9.80 0.610 1.500 4.482 7180 4080 2.11 0.85 End anchorage
AR1b 2.63 0.675 1.068 2.541 6050 1298 1.72 0.26 Flexure
AR2b 2.56 0.750 1.069 2.544 4950 1140 1.36 0.21 Diagonal tension
AR3b 3.02 0.667 1.010 2.516 5400 1510 1.58 0.31 Diagonal tension
AR4b 3.78 0.712 0.968 2.596 4350 1770 1.18 0.37 Flexure
BR5a 8.76 0.685 1.110 4.249 9100 3200 2.84 0.72 Flexure
BR6a 8.87 0.675 1.630 4.253 8680 3280 2.30 0.59 Shear compression
BR7a 11.57 0.600 1.500 4.293 10100 4860 2.47 0.75 Shear compression
BR8a 13.65 0.968 1.819 4.139 5120 3530 1.25 0.56 End shear
DR1b 8.85 0.830 1.837 3.332 7200 2660 1.96 0.50 Shear compression
DR2b 12.42 1.075 1.820 3.223 5390 2890 1.49 0.55 Flexure
DR3b 7.12 0.863 1.905 3.313 7500 2060 2.14 0.40 Shear compression
DR4b 13.42 0.901 1.810 3.297 6800 3730 1.93 0.73 End anchorage
AR1a 5.02 0.815 1.630 2.341 7900 2050 2.33 0.43 End tension
AR2a 3.50 0.825 1.569 2.346 7250 1430 1.90 0.25 Diagonal tension
AR3a 6.70 1.050 1.875 2.242 5620 2125 1.58 0.41 End tension
· .AR4a 3.02 0.825 1.610 2.347 7800 1220 2.02 0.21 Shear compression
 SIGNIFICANCE OF DOWELS ON SHEAR 1271

0.4fo'· Clearly under uniaxial compression and shear the calculated

flexural and shear stresses are quite impossible.
It can, however, be argued that since most of the failures take place
close to the loading plate that the state of stress in the failure zone is
one of biaxial compression and shear. Unfortunately, neither the stress
distribution under the loading plate nor the failure criterion of concrete
under biaxial and triaxial stress states are yet fully explained. It has
certainly been demonstrated by Wastlund 10 and Bellamy11 that the in-
termediate principal stress is significant. Bellamy's tests on hollow mor-
tar cylinders indicate that the major principal stress is increased at the
lower end of his range (cr2 = 1.83fc', cr1 = 0.72fc') by approximately the
minor principal stress, and by about 0.75 of the minor principal stress
at the upper end (cr2 = 2.69fc', cr 1 = 2.24fc'). Similar results were reported
by Wastlund 10 from biaxial compression tests on concrete cubes, but
these tests have recently been criticized by Iyengar et al. 12 on the
grounds that the method of testing introduced shear stresses which
were not allowed for in the analysis of the results. Their own biaxial
compression tests 12 on concrete cubes indicate that the effect of lateral
stress is to increase the major principal stress cr2 at failure by four times
the minimum principal stress cr 1 for ratios of ad c,. up to 0.3. These re-
sults seem to be the most reliable available and accordingly the failure
criterion under biaxial compression will be asumed to be of the form:
02
fc'
····································· (3)

TABLE 3- PRINCIPAL STRESSES ASSUMING ZERO DOWEL FORCE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
f----
(1+~:~)
<Io T

v""
<Il <I2
Beam k1.k"f•' T7 v v Type of failure
ERlb 2.02 0.56 0.17 0.01 2.17 1.04 Diagonal tension
ER2b 2.14 0.77 0.24 -0.03 2.41 0.88 Diagonal tension or
shear compression
ER3b 1.65 0.88 0.44 -0.02 2.10 0.92 End anchorage
ER4b 2.11 0.85 0.25 -0.07 2.43 0.72 End anchorage
AR1b 1.72 0.26 0.09 0.05 1.75 1.20 Flexure
AR2b 1.36 0.21 0.08 0.05 1.39 1.20 Diagonal tension
AR3b 1.58 0.31 0.10 0.04 1.64 1.16 Diagonal tension
AR4b 1.28 0.37 0.13 0.02 1.38 1.08 Flexure
BR5a 2.84 0.72 0.25 0.06 3.02 1.24 Flexure
BR6a 2.30 0.59 0.20 0.05 2.45 1.20 Shear compression
BR7a 2.47 0.75 0.22 0.00 2.70 1.00 Shear compression
BR8a 1.25 0.56 0.27 0.02 1.50 1.08 End shear
.
DR1b 1.96 0.50 0.21 0.08 2.08 1.32 Shear compression
DR2b 1.49 0.55 0.30 0.07 1.70 1.28 Flexure
DR3b 2.14 0.40 0.18 0.10 2.22 1.40 Shear compression
DR4b 1.93 0.73 0.33 0.05 2.21 1.20 End anchorage
AR1a 2.33 0.43 0.17 0.09 2.41 1.36 End tension
AR2a 1.90 0.25 0.10 0.07 1.93 1.28 Diagonal tension
AR3a 1.58 0.41 0.23 0.11 1.70 1.44 End tension
AR4a 2.02 0.21 0.06 0.04 2.04 1.16 Shear compression
1272 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE October 1965

The calculation of the principal stresses assuming zero dowel force

is shown in Table 3. The average vertical compressive stresses av!fo'
under the loading plates at failure are recorded in Column 4 of Table
3 and have been obtained by dividing the failure load per unit width of
beam by the 2-in. length of the loading plates. The nondimensional prin-
cipal stresses adfc', a2/f/ at the loading plate corresponding to these ver-
tical stresses and the bending and shear streses in Columns 2 and 3 of
Table 3 have been calculated and recorded in Columns 5 and 6 of Table
3. If these values of a2 /fc' are compared with the maximum permissible
values (1 + 4adfc') given in Column 7 (Table 3), it will be seen that
they all lie outside the safe range. According to this analysis all the
beams should have failed at the loading plate at a lower load than the
failure load. In the absence of dowel forces it does not seem possible
therefore to account for the high stresses on the concrete even if the bi-
axial compression conditions are considered.

MAGNITUDE OF DOWE.L FORCE

In his test on a divided beam J ones 13 measured the separate contribu-
tions to the shear resistance made by the concrete, the inclined stirrups,
and the longitudinal tensile and compressive reinforcements in a rec-
tangular section beam. Near to failure the longitudinal tensile reinforce-
ment was providing about 26 percent and the longitudinal compressive
reinforcement about 37 percent of the total shear despite the large width
of the artificially produced diagonal crack.
Watstein and Mathey 8 in an interesting and important series of tests,
deduced the shear force on the longitudinal tensile reinforcement in
reinforced concrete rectangular beams without shear reinforcement. The
magnitude of the dowel force was computed from the measured stresses
in the tensile steel near to the bottom of the diagonal crack. It can be
readily shown that for equilibrium of the forces acting on the portion
of the beam shown in Fig. 1 that:
D = Wa- Tla 1 ............................................... (4)
e
Watstein and Mathey8 reported that the dowel force deduced in this
way reached a m¥imum when the tip of the diagonal crack approached
the edge of the loading plate. At this stage they found the shear force
on the longitudinal bars accounted for about 75 percent of the total
shear for beams with· approximately 3 percent reinforcement and for
about 40 percent for beams with about 0.75 percent reinforcement. As
the crack extended under the loading plate on further application of
load, the tensile stress in the steel increased rapidly with a correspond-
ing rapid fall in the :magnitude of the computed dowel force.
 SIGNIFICANCE OF DOWELS ON SHEAR 1273

. s, i
I.
"----~ __--._____t+---
T

w 0 I i 13
Fig. 3- Forces on the beam when the diagonal crack extends underneath the
loading plate

It appears to have been assumed by latter researchers that this fall

in the dowel force as the failure load is approached is general. This
conclusion however is fallacious and in no way justified by Watstein
and Mathey's results which relate to failures in which the crack extends
to the flexural zone. Theoretical reasoning confirms that the dowel force
and the total shear force will decrease rapidly as the diagonal crack
extends under the loading plate, falling to zero when the crack reaches
the inner edge. This latter stage is illustrated in Fig. 3. Considering the
vertical equilibrium of the portion of the beam up to Section 1-1 at the
outer edge of the loading plate:
D+ s1 = w .................................................. (5)
Similarly by resolving vertically the forces on the portion of the beam
up to Section 3-3 at the inner edge of the loading plate:
D + S3 = 0 .................................................... (6)

The individual values of D and S 3 cannot be determined by statics

but unless there is a shear force S 3 on the concrete of opposite sign to
that assumed, which is highly improbable, then both S 3 and D must be
zero. It then follows from Eq. (5) that at Section 1-1, S 1 = W. This con-
clusion of zero dowel force is only valid when the diagonal crack has
reached Section 3-3 but the condition will be approached as the crack
extends under the loading plate. Watstein and Mathey's results appear
 1274 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE October 1965

to be experimental confirmation of this deduction. If failure of the beam

occurs when the diagonal crack just' reaches the shear span edge of the
loading plate or before, then an assumption of zero dowel force is clearly
erroneous as Watstein and Mathey's results verify. There is very good
reason therefore to suppose that in the tests under consideration there
was a significant contribution to the shear resistance from the longi-
tudinal steel.
The magnitude of the tensile stress in the reinforcement was not meas-
ured in these tests so the magnitude of the dowel force cannot be
deduced from Eq. (4). Preliminary calculations indicate that the dowel
force will have to be of the order of 60 percent of the total shear force
to reduce the stresses on the concrete to an acceptable level. This value
may not be excessive since most of these beams had higher percentages
of steel than Watstein and Mathey's beams. The principal stresses on
the concrete at the top of the diagonal crack will now be recalculated
assuming the longitudinal steel to carry 60 percent of the total shear
force.

STRESSES ON THE CONCRETE ASSUMINC DOWEL ACTION

The effect of the presence of the dowel force is to reduce both the
bending moment and the shear force acting on the concrete at the top
of the diagonal crack. These reduced moments and shears which are
given by Eq. (la) and (lb) are recorded in Columns 5 and 6 of Table 4,
and have been calculated assuming D = 0.6W and using the measured
values of e, the distance from the point of action of the dowel force
to the shear span edge of the loading plate, which are given in Column
4 of the same table. The corresponding maximum bending stresses
crc/k 1 kafc' and the average shear stresses o:,./f,.' have been determined in an
identical manner to those obtained ignoring dowel action and are re-
corded in Columns 7 and 8 of Table 4.
The calculation of the principal stresses on the concrete due to these
bending and shear stresses and the vertical compressive stresses under
the loading plate cr, which remain unchanged, is set out in Table 5.
The calculated values of crdfo' and cr 2 /fc' are given in Columns 5 and 6
respectively and the values of cr 2 /fc' are to be compared with the failure
major principal stresses (1 + 4crdfo') given in Column 7 of Table 5.
For the shear compression type failures the principal stresses are now
either close to, or slightly in excess of, the failure stresses in biaxial
compression. This suggests that the shear compression failure occurred
in regions of biaxial compression where the depths of the compression
zones were reduced by the presence of the diagonal cracks and the bend-
ing and shear stresses were reduced by significant dowel action. The
principal stresses on the beams failing by diagonal tension all appear to
 SIGNIFICANCE OF DOWELS ON SHEAR 1275

TABLE 4- BENDING AND SHEAR STRESSES ASSUMING DOWEL

FORCE EQUAL TO 60 PERCENT OF TOTAL SHEAR FORCE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- - - - r----
w Assumed
at failure, D, e, Wa-De, s, Type of
Beam kips kips in. in.-kips kips "'
k1k:,f,'
T'
77 failure
ERlb 5.50 3.30 6.325 45.1 2.20 1.38 0.22 Diagonal tension
ER2b 8.50 5.10 4.25 54.8 3.40 1.53 0.31 Dia~ona1 tensioP. or
shear compression
ER3b 13.68 8.21 2.75 59.5 5.47 1.20 0.35 End anchorage
ER4b 9.80 5.88 4.50 51.9 3.92 1.42 0.34 End anchorage
ARlb 2.63 1.58 5.50 22.9 1.05 1.26 0.10 Flexure
AR2b 2.56 1.54 4.125 21.8 1.02 1.05 0.08 Diagonal tension
AR3b 3.02 1.81 4.75 18.6 1.21 1.08 0.12 Diagonal tension
AR4b 3.78 2.27 3.25 15.3 1.51 0.85 0.15 Flexure
BR5a 8.76 5.26 8.75 59.1 3.50 1.57 0.29 Flexure
BR6a 8.87 5.32 6.125 73.8 3.55 1.70 0.24 Shear compression
BR7a 11.57 6.94 4.75 71.1 4.63 1.69 0.30 Shear compression
BR8a 13.65 8.19 6.00 32.9 5.46 0.50 0.22 End shear
DRib 8.85 5.31 3.75 59.8 3.54 1.48 0.20 Shear compression
DR2b 12.42 7.45 4.00 44.8 4.97 0.89 0.22 Flexure
DR3b 7.12 4.27 5.25 63.2 2.85 1.57 0.16 Shear compression
DR4b 13.42 8.05 2.00 64.4 5.37 1.55 0.29 End anchorage
AR1a 5.02 3.01 4.625 31.3 2.0'1 1.60 0.17 End tension
AR2a 3.50 2.10 6.75 27.8 1.40 1.26 0.10 Diagonal tension
AR3a 6.70 4.02 1.00 36.2 2.68 1.44 0.16 End tension .
AR4a 3.02 1.81 7.00 32.6 1.21 1.48 0.08 Shear compresswn

be just safe, but in these beams horizontal splitting at the level of the
steel was observed. This splitting is undoubtedly due to the high shear
forces on the longitudinal steel and must be regarded as a primary
cause of diagonal tension failures. As splitting occurs the shear force
is transferred from the longitudinal steel to the concrete above the
diagonal crack, with a consequent increase in both the shear stresses
and the flexural compressive stresses on the concrete. At some stage
during the transfer a cleavage type failure could occur in the shear
span where the stress conditions are uniaxial compression and shear.
If shear failure has not occurred by the time the diagonal crack
reaches the shear span edge of the loading plate, then on further in-
crease in load, the crack may extend underneath the plate. In the process
the total shear force on the concrete section at the top of the crack
and the dowel force will fall and be zero when the diagonal crack
reaches the flexural zone. In the shear span the bending moment will
steadily increase to the full external moment and the shear force to
the value W. Failure may occur at any stage during the progress of
the crack either in shear compression in the biaxial zone underneath
the plate or in diagonal tension in the shear span.
By assuming significant dowel action it is also possible to account
for the absence of shear failure in those beams which failed either in the
flexural zone or at the end, despite the much reduced compression zone
at the top of the diagonal crack. In Table 5, Columns 6 and 7, it can be
 1276 JOURNAl OF THE AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE October 1965

TABLE 5- PRINCIPAL STRESSES ASSUMING DOWEL

FORCE EQUAL TO 60 PERCENT OF TOTAL SHEAR FORCE
-~
----
1
I 2 3 4 5 6 7 6

"' -
To
"" "' 172
( 1 + 4cr:
f, )
Type of
Beam
I k,kaf,' t< }7 77 }7 failure
ER1b 1.38 0.22 0.17 0.13 1.41 1.52 Diagonal tension
ER2b 1.53 0.31 0.24 0.17 1.60 1.68 Diagonal tension or
shear compression
ER3b 1.20 0.35 0.44 0.31 1.33 2.24 End anchorage
ER4b 1.42 0.34 0.25 0.16 1.51 1.64 End anchorage
AR1b 1.25 0.10 0.09 0.08 1.26 1.32 Flexure
AR2b 1.05 0.08 0.08 0.07 1.05 1.28 Diagonal tension
AR3b 1.08 0.12 0.10 0.08 1.08 1.32 Diagonal tension
AR4b 0.85 0.15 0.13 0.10 0.88 1.40 Flexure
BR5a 1.57 0.29 0.25 0.19 1.63 1.76 Flexure
BR6a 1.70 0.24 0.20 0.17 1.73 1.68 Shear compression
BR7a 1.69 0.30 0.22 0.16 1.75 1.64 Shear compression
BR8a 0.50 0.22 0.27 0.14 0.63 1.56 End shear
DR1b 1.48 0.20 0.21 0.18 1.50 1.72 Shear compression
DR2b 0.89 0.22 0.30 0.23 0.95 1.92 Flexure
DR3b 1.57 0.16 0.18 0.16 1.58 1.64 Shear compression
DR4b 1.55 0.29 0.33 0.27 1.61 2.08 End anchorage
ARia 1.60 0.17 0.17 0.15 1.62 1.60 End tension
AR2a 1.26 0.10 0.10 0.10 1.26 1.40 Diagonal tension
AR3a 1.44 0.16 0.23 0.21 1.45 1.84 End tension
AR4a 1.48 0.08 0.06 0.06 1.48 1.24 Shear compression

seen that for the flexural and end failures the principal stresses are be-
low and generally well below the failure values.

CONCLUSIONS
The experiments reported confirm that one important effect of the
diagonal crack in shear failures of reinforced concrete beams without
shear reinforcement is to reduce significantly the neutral axis depth
at the top of the crack in comparison with that in pure flexural failures.
If it is then assumed that the longitudinal steel carries none of the
shear force on the section as in most recent analytical treatments of
shear, the resulting stresses on the concrete have been found to be
higher than seems possible within the evidence available on the fail-
ure criterion of concrete even under biaxial compression conditions.
It has been argued that the presence of dowel forces cannot be ignored
in any reliable quantitative analysis of shear failures since their effect
is to reduce both the moment and the shear force on the concrete above
the diagonal crack. The reduction in the shear force depends on the
dowel force alone but the reduction in the moment depends also on the
horizontal distance between its point of action, (where the diagonal
crack intersects the reinforcement), and the top of the crack. The im-
portance of this latter factor does not seem to have been previously
stressed.
Assuming dowel forces equal to 60 percent of the total shear force,
it has been found that the stresses on the concrete at the edge of the
 SIGNIFICANCE OF DOWELS ON SHEAR 1277

loading plate appear to be possible under biaxial compressive stress

conditions. It is suggested that shear compression failures occur in a
biaxial compression zone, reduced in depth by the diagonal crack, under
a bending moment and shear force reduced in magnitude by dowel ac-
tion. It is possible for the stress state in the zone of pure flexure, where
the full external moment acts on a normal flexural compression depth
under uniaxial compression, to be more critical than that in the shear
span. The deciding factors between flexural and shear compression fail-
ures will be the magnitude of the dowel force, the distance e, the mag-
nitude of the vertical compressive stress under the loading plate and
the reduction in the neutral axis depth in the shear span. Diagonal ten-
sion failures may be regarded as premature failures due to horizontal
splitting at the level of the reinforcement, induced by the shear forces
on the longitudinal steel. Failure occurs during the transfer of the
shear force and bending moment to the concrete above the diagonal
crack. Much more information is clearly required on both the magnitude
of the dowel force and on the complex stress conditions at the top of the
diagonal crack.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The experimental work described in this paper was carried out in the De-
partment of Civil and Municipal Engineering of University College, Lond·on.
The authors would like to express their appreciation to Professor A. H. Chilver,
head of the department, for the facilities provided.

REFERENCES
1. Hognestad, E., "What Do We Know About Diagonal Tension and Web
Reinforcement in Concrete?" Circular Se1·ies No. 64 Engineering Experimental
Station, University of Illinois, Urbana, pp. 1-47.
2. ACI-ASCE Committee 426 (326), "Shear and Diagonal Tension," ACI
JOURNAL, Proceedings V. 59: No. 1, Jan. 1962, pp. 1-30; No. 2, Feb. 1962, pp.
277-334; and No. 3, Mar. 1962, pp. 353-396.
3. Guralnick, S. A., "Strength of Reinforced Concrete Beams," Transactions,
ASCE, V. 125, 1960, pp. 603-643.
4. Bresler, B., and Fister, K. S., "Strength of Concrete Under Combined
Stresses," ACI JoURNAL, Proceedings V. 55, No.3, Sept. 1958, pp. 321-346.
5. Walther, R., "The Shear Strength of Prestressed Concrete Beams," Pro-
ceedings, Third Congress, Federation Internationale de la Precontrainte, Berlin,
1958 (published by the Cement and Concrete Association, London, 1958), Pa-
per 9, Session I, pp. 80-10·0.
6. Jones, L. L., "A Theoertical Solution for the Ultimate Strength for Rec-
tangular Reinforced Concrete Beams without Stirrups," Bulletin d'Information
No. 42, Comite Europeen du Beton, Paris, July 1964, pp. 49-73.
7. Ferguson, Phil M., "Some Implications of Recent Diagonal Tension Tests,"
ACI JOURNAL, Proceedings V. 53, No.2, Aug. 1956, pp. 157-172.
8. Watstein D., and Mathey, R. G., "Strains in Beams Having Diagonal
Cracks," ACI JOURNAL, Proceedings V. 55, No. 6, Dec. 1958, pp. 717-728.
1278 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE October 1965

9. Acharya, D. N., "The Influence of Shear Force on the Ultimate Strength

of Flexural Members in Reinforced Concrete Structures," MSc. Thesis, Uni-
versity of London, 1964, 143 pp.
10. Wastlund, G., "Nya Ron Angalende Betongens GrudLaggande Hallfasthet-
segenskaper," Betong, V. 22, No. 3, 1937, p. 189.
11. Bellamy, C. J., "Strength of Concrete Under Combined Stresses," ACI
JouRNAL, Proceedings V. 58, No.4, Oct. 1961, pp. 367-382.
12. Sundara Raja Iyengar, K. T.; Chandrashekhara, K; and Krishnaswamy,
K. T.,, "Strength of Concrete Under Biaxial Compression," ACI JOURNAL, Pro-
ceedings V. 62, No. 2, Feb. 1965, pp. 239-250.
13. Jones, R., "The Ultimate Strength of Reinforced Concrete Beams in Shear,"
Magazine of Concrete Rese>(lrch (London), V. 8, No. 23, Aug. 1956, pp. 69-84.

APPENDIX
NOTATION

a =shear span ktd neutral axis depth in pure

b =width of beam flexure
Cu =cube strength of concrete ksd ultimate neutral axis depth
c =eompressive force on con- at shear span edge of load-
crete above diagonal crack ing plate
due to bending la lever arm depth
d effective depth of beam s shear force on the concrete
D = shear force on the longi- above the diagonal crack
tudinal steel (dowel force) average compressive stress on
e = horizontal distance from the concrete above diagonal
point of intersection of the crack
diagonal crack with the vertical compressive stress
longitudinal steel to the shear under loading plate
span edge of the loading plate 0"1,2 principal stresses on concrete
fc' = cylinder strength of concrete T tensile force -on longitudinal
k1ksfc' = average ultimate compressive steel
stress on concrete in pure average shear stress on the
flexure concrete above the diagonal
kzd = depth of centroid of com- crack
pression from top fiber w = applied load

Received by the Institute Nov. 17, 1964. Title No. 62-69 is a part of copyrighted JOURNAL
of the American Concrete lnstitute 1 Proceedings V. 62, No. 10, Oct. 1965. Separate prints
are available at 60 cents each, cash with order.

American Concrete Institute, P.O. Box 4754 1 Redford Station 1 Detroit, Michigan 48219

Discussion of this paper should reach ACI headquarters in triplicate

by Jan. 1, 1966, for publication in the Part 2 June 1966 JOURNAL.
(See p. iii for de~ails.)
 SIGNIFICANCE OF DOWELS ON SHEAR 1279

Sinopsis-Resume-Zusammenfassung

lmportancia del Efecto de Dovela de las Barras de Refuerzo en Ia

Falla por Cortante de Vigas de Concreto Rectangulares
Reforzadas, sin Refuerzo en el Alma
Se discute el efecto de no considerar la fuerza cortante en el refuerzo longi-
tudinal ( efecto de do vela), en vigas de concreto reforzado sin refuerzo en el
alma. Analisis de ensayes en vigas simples rectangulares demuestran que la
hipotesis de despreciar el efecto de dovela implica esfuerzos altos en el concreto
en la parte superior de la grieta diagonal. Se sugiere que la magnitud de la
fuerza debida al efecto de dovela y su punta de acci6n son factores importantes
en el modo de falla de tales vigas.

Influence de I'Effet de Coujon sur Ia Rupture par Cisaillement des Poutres

Rectangulaires en Beton Arme ne Renfermant Aucune Armature d'Ame
On s'interroge sur les consequences qu'entraine le fait de negliger l'effet de
goujon, du a l'effort tranchant qui s'exerce sur les barres longitudinales
d'armature, dans les poutres de beton arme ne renfermant aucune armature
d'ame. On a fait des essais sur des poutres simples a section rectangulaire et on a
constate qu'en negligeant completement cet effet de goujon, on se retr·ouve
avec des contraintes considerables s'exen;ant sur le beton, au-dessus des
fissures diagonales qui se developpent pendant les essais. On en conclut que
l'effet de goujon et les regions ou il se manifeste constituent des facteurs
determinants du mode de rupture de poutres telles que celles qui furent utilisees
aux fins de cette etude.

Bedeutsamkeit des Wirkens von Diibelkraften auf Schubbruch

in rechteckigen, verstarkten Betonbalken ol-lne Biigelbewehrung
Die VernachHi~igung der Schub-verursachenden Krafte, die sich auf die
Langsbewehrung (Diibelkrafte) auswirken von Stahlbetonbalken ohne Biigel-
bewehrung wird in Frage gestellt. Die Analyse von Priifversuchen, die mit ein-
fachen rechteckigen Balken angestellt wurden, zeigen, da~ die Annahme von
Null (Zero) -Diibelkraft auf starke Driicke auf den Beton an der Spitze des
diagonalen Risses hinweist. Es wird darum der Wahrscheinlichkeit Ausdruck
verliehen, dafl die Grofle der Diibelkraft und ihr Angrittspunkt wichtige Fak-
toren darstellen fiir die Bestimmung der Art des Bruches solcher Trager.