Numerical Investigation on Improving Shear Strength of RC Beams with Various Web Opening Shapes Using Pre-Stressed Fe-SMA Bars

The presence of web openings in the shear span significantly impacts the structural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams, affecting both shear capacity and crack propagation. This study explores the feasibility of strengthening web openings in the shear zone of RC beams using iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA) bars through numerical analysis with ABAQUS software. The investigation considered various web opening shapes; diamond, circular, and square strengthened with pre-stressed Fe-SMA bars. Results showed that web openings notably decrease the ultimate loads of beams by 53%, 44%, and 39% for square, circular, and diamond shapes, respectively. However, pre-stressed Fe-SMA bars enhanced the shear capacity of beams with unstrengthened web openings by approximately 60%, making their behavior comparable to solid beams. The proposed strengthening technique was most effective for diamond web openings, nearly restoring both shear strength and stiffness, while circular openings recovered nearly 90% of shear capacity and square openings about 75%. Additionally, Fe-SMA bars effectively controlled cracking at the corners of the openings. This study highlights the importance of strengthening web openings in RC beams, especially in shear zones, and provides significant insights into enhancing such beams, contributing to safer structural designs. Further laboratory experiments are recommended to validate and extend these numerical findings.