Shear Reinforcement

In the Shear Reinforcement tab, you can define the shear reinforcement that should be applied in the member shear design.

Defining Shear Reinforcement

Spans

In this dialog box section, you can define the stirrup reinforcement areas. Only one entry is preset, which represents a kind of "basic reinforcement". You can adjust this default setting and divide the one large "span" into sections (see the image Defining Shear Reinforcement). Use the button at the end of the list to create new items.

For the graphical display of the stirrup reinforcement, it may be necessary to specify an "offset" for the edge Border Distances of Stirrups.

Parameters

In this section, you can define the shear reinforcement properties. The parameters always refer to the span selected in the "Spans" list.

Base Data

Select the "stirrup type" from the list. Various stirrup shapes are available.

Selecting Stirrup Type

Assign material to the shear reinforcement. If you have already defined a suitable reinforcement steel in the model, you can select it in the list. Otherwise, you can use the button in the text box to create a new material by opening the New Material dialog box, where you can access the material library.

Stirrup Parameters

Specify the "bar diameter" d_s,st of the stirrups, the distance s_s,st between the stirrups, or the number n_s,st of the stirrups in the span.

Defining Stirrup Parameters

Usually, you only enter the stirrup diameter d_s,st and the spacing s_s,st. The amount of stirrups is obtained automatically. However, you can also specify the number of stirrups n_s,st. The program determines the proper distance for the span.

The reinforcement area of the provided stirrup reinforcement is shown in the category below.

Reinforcement Areas

Here, you can see the reinforcement area that results from the "Stirrup Parameters" entries. As an alternative, you can enter the reinforcement area a_sw directly in [cm²/m]. Based on this entry, the program determines the required distance s_s,st and the resulting number n_s,st of stirrups. The diameter _ds,st remains the same.

Span Location

In this category, you specify where in the member the "span" with the stirrup reinforcement should be arranged. You can define this position with a "reference" to the start, the end, or the x-location. Select the corresponding option in the list to define the reference point for the span location.

Defining Span Position via x-Location ("Relative" Definition Format)

Furthermore, you can use the "definition format" to control whether to define the distances absolutely in length units, or relatively in percentage.

Enter the "start" x₁ and the "end" x₂ of the span. The "span length" l_s represents the length of the stirrup section in the member.

Border Distances of Stirrups

The "layout rule" controls how the stirrups are positioned at the edges of the span. Several options are available.

Selecting Layout Rule for Border Distances of Stirrups

With the default setting "Start equals End", the program determines the remaining length from the number n_s,st and the stirrup distance s_s,st that is applied equally to the start and the end of the span. The text boxes for Δ_i and Δ_j are locked.

The other options allow you to manually define the border distances of the stirrups:

• "Start defined": Enter the Start offset Δ_i that defines the position of the first stirrup in the span. The distance Δ_j at the end of the span is determined automatically; this value is not editable.
• "Start = Rest length to stirrup distance": This option is not possible for the first span, only for the following spans. Using this rule, the distances Δ_i and Δ_j are determined automatically; the values cannot be edited. If you clear the previous span, the option is automatically changed to "Start defined" and the previously determined value is entered as the start offset Δ_i.
• "End defined": Enter the end offset_Δj that defines the position of the last stirrup in the span. The distance Δ_i at the end of the span is determined automatically; this value is not editable.
• "End = Rest length to stirrup distance": The program does not apply any start offset. The possible number of stirrups n_s,st is determined based on the stirrup distance s_s,st, and the remaining length at the end of the span is provided.

Information

Finally, here is the information about the stirrup reinforcement of the current span:

• Length of one stirrup L_st,1
• Length of all stirrups L_st as a sum
• Weight of one stirrup W_st,1
• Weight of all stirrups W_st as a sum

Graphic

In both graphic areas of the tab, you can see the reinforcement displayed graphically. You can see the member section on the right, and the longitudinal section below. Your entries are implemented dynamically, thus providing you with a perfect control option.

Reinforcement Graphics for Section and Member

Section

The graphic to the right shows the cross-section of the member with the stirrup and longitudinal reinforcement defined. The concrete cover is shown in the reinforcement layout. The cross-section graphic also shows the local axes z and y of the member.

The cross-section graphic refers to the reinforcement at "Location x" along the member specified in the text box below the graphic. With the default setting x = 0.000 m, the reinforcement is displayed at the member start. To display the reinforcement at a different member location, enter the corresponding distance. Location x is then indicated by an arrow in the longitudinal section.

The buttons below the graphic have the following functions:

	Switch between the section graphic and the model view
	Show only the longitudinal reinforcement specified in the Positions list.
	Display or hide member axes
	Display or hide the cross-section dimensions
	Various options for printing the graphic

Longitudinal Section

The graphic in the lower part of the dialog box shows the longitudinal section of the member, including the defined stirrup and longitudinal reinforcement, as well as the support symbols from the defined effective lengths and design supports.

To work in this graphic area, you can use all mouse functions described in the RFEM manual, the chapter titled Graphic Control. This allows you to zoom in on the reinforcement of the member or display it spatially.

Displaying Reinforcement in Longitudinal Section Zoomed in 3D View

The buttons next to the graphic have the following functions:

	Set various view types
	View in different member axis directions
	View as wireframe model, solid model, or transparent model
	Show and hide various auxiliary and model objects
	Show the member symbolically in a horizontal position or in the real position
	Various options for printing the graphic
	Opens the Reinforcement Layout
	window to display the full view of the member.