RESEARCH ON SHEAR: A BENEFIT TO HUMANITY OR A WASTE OF TIME?

The author reviews research on shear with developments in a number of topics traced from the turn of the century until the present day. Topics are examined in categories according to phenomena and type of member studied, a) shear cracking, b) behaviour after shear cracking/beams with stirrups, c) longitudinal shear in flanges and d) prestressed concrete. The current situation is considered and prospects for future progress are discussed. Three main areas for research are identified a) specific gaps in knowledge e.g. the fatigue resistance of shear sensitive members, b) behaviour at the fundamental material level e.g. size effects, and c) the synthesis of knowledge into methods of design or analysis. It is suggested that the treatment of shear needs to be a general one rather than a succession of disparate formulae.