ABSTRACT
The strength of reinforced concrete beams subjected to combined shear and flexure is affected by complex phenomena, such as existing multi-axial states of stresses, the anisotropy induced by the diagonal concrete cracking, the interaction between concrete and reinforcement and the brittleness of the failure mode. Trying to obtain valuable information about the shear transfer mechanisms, a large number of shear tests have been performed during the last 60 years. This contribution focuses on 4 pre-stressed pre-cast beams that are loaded in shear following a certain sequence of loading and unloading cycles before the load is ultimately in-creasing until failure. Obtained results include a load-dependent photogrammetric documentation of crack patterns, a continuous quantification of crack openings, and an accurate measurement of vertical and horizontal deformations. These findings are basic elements for the enhancement and assessment of existing analytical formulations.
