This paper presents a practical method for predicting the deflections, including both the flexure and shear contributions, of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The shear force - shear strain (V-γ) curve of a section in the shear span of RC beams is represented by a piecewise model and the tangent shear stiffness after shear cracking, Kt,cr, is assumed to be constant. A 2D finite element model, which has been validated for predicting shear deformation of RC beams, was used to identify factors that may affect the shear reduction factor (the ratio of Kt,cr to the elastic shear stiffness) and establish methodology for predicting the V-γ curve. Two types of methods, integration-form and closed-form, for predicting the total deflection were developed, in which the flexure-induced deflection (FD) was predicted using the Bischoff model while the shear-induced deflection (SD) was predicted using the method proposed in this paper. Comparison of the predictions with experimental results confirms that the Bischoff model provides reliable predictions of FDs of RC beams with and without shrinkage. It also shows that the proposed method can provide accurate predictions for SD after shear cracking, provided the effect of shrinkage on the shear cracking load is adequately quantified.

Support from: National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51378104) and A Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development ofJiangsu Higher Education Institutions. The Development Fund of the Swedish Construction Industry (SBUF), the Swedish Research Council Formas and Elsa and Sven Thysell Foundation