Plastic Hinge Length Considering Shear Reversal in Reinforced Concrete Elements

Concrete structures can dissipate seismic energy during moderate to severe earthquakes by deforming inelastically. The inelastic deformation should concentrate at specific locations, referred to as plastic hinges. An experimental program was conducted to explore the factors affecting plastic hinge formation and length in beams. The test variables included the concrete compressive strength, bottom/top reinforcement ratio, shear strength, and shear demand. The increase in concrete strength did not influence the plastic hinge length, which was increased significantly by the effect of shear spread. The shear spread depended on the shear strength/demand ratio and was predicted successfully by the analytical model proposed.