Dapped-End Beams: Experimental Tests and Capacity Models in the Literature

Half joints are very common construction details, often used for precast beams connections or bridge deck supports, since they allow the creation of an effective joint without increasing the height of the nodal region. If not adequately designed, dapped-end beams can show premature shear failure, due to the abrupt variation in the cross-section dimension. Given the very low shear span, preventing the application of the Bernoulli’s beam theory, strut and tie models need to be taken into account. In this context, experimental tests provide a powerful instrument to detect the stress flows and define the associated capacity models. The presented work supplies a wide literature review of experimental tests and numerical formulations, aiming to characterize the shear behavior of dapped-end beams. It can be a useful tool for design and assessment procedures of such beams.