The splitting forces generated by bond

Bond action of a ribbed reinforcing bar generates forces that tend to split the concrete cover around the bar. In most practical circumstances, bond strength is limited by the resistance of the member section to these splitting forces. Ris paper reviews the various hypotheses for the relationship between bond strength and splitting restraint, devises tests for the validity of each, and reports the results of these tests. Re results demonstrate deficiencies in several of the established views on bond strength. Re paper proposes a new model for the relationship between bond and splitting stresses, and for the mechanism through which concrete cover influences bond strength, in order to overcome these deficiencies.