Enhancing the shear strength of reinforced concrete deep beams using thin-diameter near-surface mounted steel wires: an experimental study

This study investigates the effectiveness of near-surface mounted wire (NSMW) reinforcement as a shear-strengthening technique for reinforced concrete (RC) deep beams. Eleven specimens, including a control beam, were tested under three-point loading to evaluate the influence of vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and mesh NSMW configurations on shear behavior. The results showed that diagonal and mesh arrangements provided the greatest improvements in shear capacity, with increases of 61.8% and 59.1%, respectively, relative to the control. Vertical reinforcement also enhanced shear resistance by up to 50%, albeit with reduced deflection capacity, while horizontal reinforcement produced more modest gains, with a maximum increase of 34.1%. Among all schemes, the mesh configuration delivered the most balanced performance, achieving a 113.4% increase in energy absorption along with refined crack development. Crack pattern observations confirmed that diagonal and mesh layouts stabilized the compression strut, delayed diagonal cracking, and shifted failure away from the unreinforced shear span, whereas vertical and horizontal layouts were less effective in altering the failure mechanism. Overall, the findings highlight the novelty and practicality of thin-diameter NSMW reinforcement as a versatile alternative to conventional NSM bar techniques for strengthening RC deep beams.