Anchorage failure and shear design of hollow-core slabs

A number of studies in recent years have attempted to understand and calculate the shear strength of hollow-core slabs, but no consensus has been reached on this issue. The current design methods for hollow-core shear resistance are derived from experimental results and elastic theories that are not usually directly related to the behaviour at the ultimate limit state. Moreover, some manuals on this subject do not discuss anchorage failures, which although not common in this type of slab, may influence the shear strength. This paper considers the anchorage failure of strands using the concepts of Eurocode 2 and presents an analytical methodology for shear design based on the modified compression field theory (MCFT). Furthermore, the safety concepts of Eurocode 2 are properly presented and evaluated using the experimental data available in the literature. The proposed methodology is proved to be accurate and is simple enough for use in design. Comparisons with CSA A23.3 and Eurocode 2 are also shown.