Design of inclined webs for shear

Design of inclined webs for shear

A question which sometimes arises is what is the average shear stress in an inclined
web i.e. what height and web width should be used in the calculation? This is best
answered by reference to the simply supported box girder in Figure 1 below. The
beam shear near supports is 2V. Each web therefore has to resist a vertical shear of V
as shown in Figure 2. Since the shear flow in the web must act in the direction of the
web incline, the shear in the plane of the web is V/cosθ. The web area = Lb and thus
the web shear stress = V/cosθ × 1/(Lb) = V/(Lbcosθ) = V/hb. Thus the average web
shear stress may be determined directly for a shear force equal to V if it is considered
to be an equivalent vertical web of height h and width b equal to the minimum width
perpendicular to its inclination. The web width should not be taken as the
horizontal dimension which is often shown on drawings.

2V 2V

Figure 1 - Simply supported box

V
Transverse tension at load V
position

θ b
h
L

Web area = Lb
Web shear force = V/cosθ
Web shear stress = V/cosθ * 1/(Lb) = V/(Lbcosθ)=V/hb

Figure 2 - Shear per web

Steel webs
Although the shear stress may be determined as V/hb, when shear buckling is
involved it is necessary to consider the actual geometry of the web plate. Therefore
the web should be checked for a shear of V/cosθ applied in its plane with the
slenderness for buckling and hence resistance based on the inclined plate depth L (or
strictly the distance between flanges measured along the inclined web).

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 Design of inclined webs for shear

Concrete webs
Concrete webs generally do not suffer from the same buckling problems that steel
webs do. Consequently, each web may be designed for a shear of V if treated as an
equivalent vertical web of height h and width b equal to the minimum width
perpendicular to its inclination. This achieves the same result as designing for a
greater shear V/cosθ applied in its plane together with a greater depth appropriate to
this inclined plane. The actual web truss model for web and flanges is shown in
Figure 3. Note that there is an additional transverse top flange tension to design for in
Figure 2 at the location of the applied loads in Figure 1.

Top flange (half plan)

V/cosθ
z L

Web (viewed perpendicular to its surface)

Bottom flange (half plan)

Figure 3 - Truss model for half box near end of span

Written by: Chris Hendy

Date: 13/2/07

Reviewed by: Mike Chubb

Date: 14/2/07

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