Highways Agency Reports

This report presents a theoretical method of predicting the ultimate capacity of girders containing circular cut-outs, under pure shear. The solution is obtained by considering the equilibrium of two tension bands developed above and below the cut-out. This agrees with thefailure mechanisms observed in the tested girders. Predictions obtained from this method are compared with the experimental results reported in earlier progress reports (Nos. 1 ans 2). It is shown that the method gives satisfactory and safe predictions.