Shear Strength of Prestressed Steel Fiber–Reinforced Hollow Core Slabs

Abstract

Steel fibers are increasingly recognized for their potential to enhance the shear capacity of prestressed hollow core slabs. However, practical design procedures are necessary to quantify their effectiveness. This study introduces a novel design method that accounts for the interaction between concrete and fiber contributions, considering the failure mode. The methodology adapts shear design provisions from ACI 318-19 and EC2 standards and proposes a simplified approach based on the modified compression field theory (MCFT) for practical application. Moreover, the paper presents a method for estimating the postcracking shear strength of the concrete component. The efficacy and reliability of the proposed methods were assessed using a data set of 193 entries, analyzed through seven statistical metrics. The findings indicate improvements in safety and accuracy. Notably, reductions in demerit point classifications of up to 30% were measured.