SHEAR AND TORSION DESIGN OF PRESTRESSED AND NON PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BEAMS

D esign procedures which are based on rational models rather than empirical equations enable the engineer to develop a better understanding of actual structural behavior. In this regard, the unsatisfactory nature of current shear and torsion design procedtires is evident if the ACI Code' chapter on shear and torsion is compared with the ACI chapter on flexure and axial load. In the flexure and axial load chapter a rational, simple, general method is explained in a few paragraphs of text. On the other hand, the shear and torsion chapter consists of a collection of complex, restrictive, empirical equations which, while leading to safe designs, lacks an understandable central philosophy. This lack, in the opinion of the authors, is the source of many of the complaints which arise from the engineering profession about modern design codes becoming unworkably complicated. In this paper an attempt is made to present procedures based on rational models which enable members containing web rein-