Prediction of Shear Strength Using Artificial Neural Networks for Reinforced Concrete Members without Shear Reinforcement

Due to the complex mechanism and various parameters that affect shear behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) members, models on shear tend to be complex and difficult to utilize for design of structural members, and empirical relationships formulated with limited test data often work lot members having a specific range of influencing parameters on shear. As an alternative approach tot solving this problem, artificial neural networks have been suggested by some researchers. In this paper, artificial neural networks were used to predict shear strengths of RC beams without shear reinforcement. Especially, a large database that consists of shear test results of 398 RC members without shear reinforcement was used for artificial neural network analysis. Three well known approaches for shear strength of RC members, ACI 318-02 shear provision, Zsutiy's equation, and Okamura's relationship, are also evaluated with test results in the shear database and compared with neural network approach. While ACI 318-02 provided inaccurate predictions for RC members without shear reinforcement, the empirical equations by Zsutty and Okamura provided more improved prediction of Shear strength than ACI 318-02. The artificial neural networks, however provided the best prediction of shear strengths of RC beams without shear reinforcement that was closest to test results.