Shearing behavior of short high-performance concrete beams reinforced with swimmer bars: experimental and statistical studies

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This study investigates the effect of shear stirrups on the mechanical behavior of short high-performance concrete (HPC) beams. Two types of shear reinforcement are evaluated: conventional and innovative stirrups, designed in various shapes to assess their impact on shear capacity. An experimental program was conducted with twelve short HPC beams with strength class 65 MPa under a four-point bending static load, with critical parameters including longitudinal reinforcement, spacing, and angle of transverse reinforcement. The beams were tested with different configurations, varying the angle of inclination 45° and 90°, spacing 70 mm and 100 mm, and three stirrup Shapes 1, 2, and 3. To identify the optimal configuration for enhancing mechanical performance, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed, providing a systematic approach to optimize the parameters. Results show that innovative shear stirrups increase beams’ shear capacity by 7% compared to conventional stirrups. The RSM analysis identified the optimal configuration as Shape 2 with a 45° angle and 70 mm spacing, demonstrating significant improvements in shear resistance and overall structural integrity, effectively reducing the risk of cracking. The findings offer considerable information about the best reinforcement strategies to improve the structural performance of HPC beams.