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1. INTRODUCTION
Corbel or bracket is a reinforced concrete member is a short-haunched cantilever used
to support the reinforced concrete beam element. Corbel is structural element to
support the pre-cast structural system such as pre-cast beam and pre-stressed beam.
The corbel is cast monolithic with the column element or wall element.

2. BEHAVIOR OF CORBEL
The followings are the major items show the behavior of the reinforced concrete corbel,
as follows

1. The shear span/depth ratio is less than 1.0, it makes the corbel behave in two-
dimensional manner.
2. Shear deformation is significant is the corbel.
3. There is large horizontal force transmitted from the supported beam result from
long-term shrinkage and creep deformation.
4. Bearing failure due to large concentrated load.
5. The cracks are usually vertical or inclined pure shear cracks.
6. The mode of failure of corbel are yielding of the tension tie, failure of the end
anchorage of the tension tie, failure of concrete by compression or shearing and
bearing failure.

The followings figure shows the mode of failure of corbel.

DIAGONAL SHEAR SHEAR FRICTION

ANCHORAGE SPLITING VERTICAL SPLITING

FIGURE 2 MODES OF FAILURE OF CORBE

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SHEAR DESIGN OF CORBEL
GENERAL
Since the corbel is cast at different time with the column element then the cracks occurs
in the interface of the corbel and the column. To avoid the cracks we must provide the
shear friction reinforcement perpendicular with the cracks direction.

ACI code uses the shear friction theory to design the interface area.

SHEAR FRICTION THEORY

In shear friction theory we use coefficient of friction to transform the horizontal resisting force
into vertical resisting force.

The basic design equation for shear reinforcement design is :

Vn  Vu

where :
Vn= nominal shear strength of shear friction reinforcement

Vu= ultimate shear force

= strength reduction factor ( = 0.85)

TABLE: SHEAR FRICTION REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH

VERTICAL INCLINED
SHEAR FRICTION SHEAR FRICTION
REINFORCEMENT REINFORCEMENT

Vn Avf Vn Avf

Vn
𝑉𝑛 Avf =
Vn Avf = fy (µ sinαf + cosαf)
𝑓𝑦 µ
 Vn = Avf fy (μ sinαf +
𝑉𝑢/𝛷
𝑉𝑢/𝛷 Avf =
Avf Avf = cosαf) fy (µ sinαf + cosαf)
𝑓𝑦 µ
fy

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 where:
Vn= nominal shear strength of shear friction reinforcement
Avf= area of shear friction reinforcement
Fy= yield strength of shear friction reinforcement
= coefficient of friction

TABLE: COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION

METHOD COEFFICIENT OF
FRICTION
μ

Concrete Cast Monolithic 1.4λ

Concrete Placed Against Roughened 1.0λ

Hardened Concrete

Concrete Placed Against un roughened 0.6λ

Hardened Concrete

Concrete Anchored to Structural Steel 0.7λ

The value of  is:

 = 1.0 normal weight concrete
 = 0.85 sand light weight concrete
 = 0.75 all light weight concrete

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The ultimate shear force must follows the following conditions:
Vu  0.2f'c bwd

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 Vu  5.50bwd
where :
Vu = ultimate shear force (N)
f’c = concrete cylinder strength (MPa)
bw = width of corbel section (mm)
d = effective depth of corbel (mm)

STEP – BY – STEP PROCEDURE

The followings are the step – by – step procedure used in the shear design for corbel
(bracket), as follows :
Calculate the ultimate shear force Vu.
Check the ultimate shear force for the following condition, if the following condition
is not achieved then enlarge the section.
Vu  0.2f'c bwd
Vu  5.50bwd
Calculate the area of shear friction reinforcement Avf.

VERTICAL INCLINED
SHEAR FRICTION SHEAR FRICTION
REINFORCEMENT REINFORCEMENT

Vn Avf Vn Avf

Vn
𝑉𝑛 Avf =
Vn  Avf = fy (µ sinαf + cosαf)
𝑓𝑦 µ
Avf fy Vn = Avf fy (μ sinαf +
𝑉𝑢/𝛷
𝑉𝑢/𝛷 Avf =
Avf = cosαf) fy (µ sinαf + cosαf)
𝑓𝑦 µ

The design must be follows the basic design equation as follows :

   Vn  Vu

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FLEXURAL DESIGN OF CORBEL
GENERAL
The corbel is design due to ultimate flexure moment result from the supported beam
reaction Vu and horizontal force from creep and shrinkage effect Nu.

Vu

Nuc

min d/2

d
h
FIGURE : DESIGN FORCE OF CORBEL

TENSION REINFORCEMENT
The ultimate horizontal force acts in the corbel Nuc is result from the creep and
shrinkage effect of the pre-cast or pre-stressed beam supported by the corbel.
This ultimate horizontal force must be resisted by the tension reinforcement as follows :

An  Nuc
fy

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 where :
An = area of tension reinforcement
Nuc = ultimate horizontal force at corbel
fy = yield strength of the tension reinforcement
 = strength reduction factor ( = 0.85)

Minimum value of Nuc is 0.2Vuc.

The strength reduction factor is taken 0.85 because the major action in corbel is dominated by
shear.

FLEXURAL REINFORCEMENT

Vu
a
Nuc
Ts
jd

d
h

Cc

FIGURE : ULTIMATE FLEXURE MOMENT AT CORBEL

The ultimate flexure moment Mu result from the support reactions is :

Mu  Vu a Nuc h  d

where :
Mu= ultimate flexure moment
Vu= ultimate shear force
a= distance of Vu from face of column

Nuc= ultimate horizontal force at corbel

h= height of corbel
d= effective depth of corbel

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 The resultant of tensile force of tension reinforcement is :

Tf  Af fy

where :
Tf= tensile force resultant of flexure reinforcement

Af= area of flexure reinforcement

fy= yield strength of the flexure reinforcement
The resultant of compressive force of the concrete is :
Cc  0.85f'c bacos 

where :
Cc= compressive force resultant of concrete

f’c= concrete cylinder strength

b= width of corbel

a= depth of concrete compression zone The horizontal equilibrium of corbel internal force is :
 H  0  Cc Ts
0.85f'c bacos   Af fy

A f fy
A 
0.85f'c bcos 

The flexure reinforcement area is :

𝑀𝑢
Avf =
𝛷𝑓𝑦(𝑑 − 𝑎/2)


Cos  value can be calculated based on the Tan  value as follows :

Tan  jd
a

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 DISTRIBUTION OF CORBEL REINFORCEMENTS

Vu Vu

As= 32 Avf +An a As= Af +An a

Nuc Nuc

(2/3)d

(2/3)d
d
h

d
1
Ah= 3 Avf Ah= 12 Af

FRAMING FRAMING
REBAR REBAR

CASE 1 CASE 2

FIGURE : DISTRIBUTION OF CORBEL REINFORCEMENTS

From the last calculation we already find the shear friction reinforcement Avf,
tension reinforcement An and flexural reinforcement Af. We must calculate the
primary tension reinforcement As based on the above reinforcements.

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 TABLE : DISTRIBUTION OF CORBEL REINFORCEMENTS
CASE As PRIMARY Closed Stirrup
REINFORCEMENT Ah LOCATION

2 2 1 2
1 As ≥ 3
Avf + An As = 3 Avf + An Ah = 3 Avf 3
d

2
2 As ≥ Af + An As = Af + An 1
Ah = 3 Af d
3

where :
As = area of primary tension reinforcement

Avf = area of shear friction reinforcement

An = area of tension reinforcement

Af = area of flexure reinforcement
Ah = horizontal closed stirrup
d = effective depth of corbel

The reinforcements is taken which is larger, case 1 or case 2, the distribution of the
reinforcements is shown in the figure above.

LIMITS OF REINFORCEMENTS
The limits of primary steel reinforcement at corbel design is :

A f'
  s  0.04 c
bd fy

where :
As = area of primary tension reinforcement

b = width of corbel
d = effective depth of corbel

The limits of horizontal closed stirrup reinforcement at corbel design is :

Ah  0.5As  An 

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 where :
As= area of primary tension reinforcement
An= area of tension reinforcement

STEP – BY – STEP PROCEDURE

The followings are the step – by – step procedure used in the flexural design for corbel
(bracket), as follows :

Calculate ultimate flexure moment Mu.

Mu  Vua Nuc h  d


Calculate the area of tension reinforcement An.

An  Nuc
fy
Calculate the area of flexural reinforcement Af.

Mu
Af  fy
0.85d
 
Calculate the area of primary tension reinforcement As.

CASE As PRIMARY Closed Stirrup

REINFORCEMENT Ah LOCATION

2 2 1 2
1 As ≥ 3
Avf + An As = 3 Avf + An Ah = 3 Avf 3
d

2
2 As ≥ Af + An As = Af + An 1
Ah = 3 Af d
3


Check the reinforcement for minimum reinforcement.

  As  0.04 f'c
bd fy
Ah  0.5As  An 


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

– DESIGN OF CORBEL

Vu=150000 N
100
200
Nuc

400

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PROBLEM
Design the flexural and shear friction reinforcement of corbel structure above.

MATERIAL
Concrete strength = K – 300
Steel grade = Grade 400
Concrete cylinder strength = f'c = 0.83 × 30 = 24.9 MPa

β1 =0.85

DIMENSION
b = 200 mm
h = 400 mm
Concrete cover = 30 mm
d = 370 mm

DESIGN FORCE
Vu  150000 N

Nuc  0.2Vu  0.2 150000  30000 N

Mu  Vu a Nuc h  d  150000100 30000400  370  15900000 Nmm

LIMITATION CHECKING
0.2f'c bwd  0.850.2  24.9200  370  313242 N
5.5bwd  0.85  5.5  200  370  345950 N
Vu  150000  0.2f'c bwd  313242  5.5bwd  345950

SHEAR FRICTION REINFORCEMENT

  1.4  1.4 1.0  1.4

𝑉𝑢/𝛷
Avf = = 315 mm2
𝑓𝑦 µ

TENSION REINFORCEMENT

𝑁𝑢𝑐 3000
An = 𝛷𝑓𝑣 = 0.89 ×400 =88 mm2

FLEXURAL REINFORCEMENT

𝑀𝑢 15900000
Af = 𝛷𝑓𝑣(0.85𝑑) = 0.89 ×400(0.85×370) =140 mm2
0.04 𝑓𝑐 0.04 ×24.9
Pmin = = = 0.00249
𝑓𝑣 400

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CASE As Primary Closed Stirrup
(mm2) Reinforcement Ah Location
(mm2) (mm2) (mm)
2 1 2
1 As ≥ Avf + An As = 298 Ah = 3 Avf d
3 3
2 1 247
As ≥ (315) + 88 ≥ 298 Ah = 3 (315) = 105
3

2 As ≥ Af + An As = 228 _ _
As ≥ 140 + 88 ≥ 228

PRIMARY TENSION REINFORCEMENT

The reinforcement of the corbel are :

As = 298 mm2

Ah = 105 mm2

CHECK FOR AS MINIMUM AND AS MAXIMUM

0.04 𝑓𝑐 0.04 ×24.9

Pmin = = = 0.00249
𝑓𝑣 400

𝐴𝑠 298
Pmin = 𝑏𝑑 = 200 ×370 = 0.00402 > Pmin……………………………OK

Ahmin = 0.5(As - An )= 0.5(298 - 88) = 210 mm2

Ah = 105 < Ahmin = 210

Ah = 210 mm2

The final reinforcement of the corbel are: As = 298 mm2

Ah = 210 mm2

CORBEL REINFORCEMENT
As Ah
(mm2) (mm2)
As = 3D16 Ah = 3(2.D10)
As = 603 Ah = 471

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SKETCH OF REINFORCEMENT

3D16

247
2 LEGS Ø10

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