Behavior of continuous RC deep girders that support walls with long end shear spans

Continuous deep girders which transmit the gravity load from the upper wall to the lower columns have frequently long end shear spans between the boundary of the upper wall and the face of the lower column. This paper presents the results of tests and analyses performed on three 1:2.5 scale specimens with long end shear spans, (the ratios of shear-span/total depth: 1.8 < a/h < 2.5): one designed by the conventional approach using the beam theory and two by the strut-and-tie approach. The conclusions are as follows: (1) the yielding strength of the continuous RC deep girders is controlled by the tensile yielding of the bottom longitudinal reinforcements, being much larger than the nominal strength predicted by using the section analysis of the girder section only or using the strut-and-tie model based on elastic-analysis stress distribution. (2) The ultimate strengths are 22% to 26% larger than the yielding strength. This additional strength derives from the strain hardening of yielded reinforcements and the shear resistance due to continuity with the adjacent span. (3) The pattern of shear force flow and failure mode in shear zone varies depending on the amount of vertical shear reinforcement. And (4) it is necessary to take into account the existence of the upper wall in the analysis and design of the deep continuous transfer girders that support the upper wall with a long end shear span.