An experimental investigation on the mode of failure of under reinforced concrete slabs subjected to combined bending and torsion

In the past a number of theories have been put forward to predict the moment strength of reinforced concrete slabs. These theories, summarised elsewhere[1] were developed by making assumptions on the mode of failure of the reinforcing steel bars crossing a yield line. Unfortunately there has been very little experimental work undertaken to verify the assumptions used to develop these theories, and what little has been undertaken is unreliable due to inadequate experimental techniques. The present paper describes a significant experimental investigation on the mode of failure of under reinforced concrete slabs subjected to combined bending and torsion.